


Howling at the moon

by White_Wolf_With_Blue_Eyes



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, And this got a bit dark suddenly, Angst with a Happy Ending, But the fluff is still there, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Bad At Titles, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm Spoilers, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Partial Nudity, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, There are some heavy issues, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-03-23 17:41:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 61,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13792788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/White_Wolf_With_Blue_Eyes/pseuds/White_Wolf_With_Blue_Eyes
Summary: Chloe Price always had a happy childhood, with loving parents and one of the best friends that she could have had. But her whole world is affected when her father, William Price, dies in a car accident, and things get worse when her best friend, along with her entire family, disappears.Years later, Chloe still has not completely overcome both losses, wondering what could have happened to Max Caulfield.She will soon discover it, because destiny has its ways of uniting people again.





	1. You see me, now you don't see me

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is my first job in AO3. I've already published fanfictions before, but it's the first time I've done it here.
> 
> And yes, I know that this type of werewolf AU's are already very used, but I really wanted to make my own story of that type. I love wolves, so...
> 
> I must clarify that English is not my native language, so it is possible that there are grammatical or spelling errors somewhere. If you notice any, please let me know, I appreciate the help with respect to that.
> 
> With all that clarified, I hope you enjoy the beginning of this story.

**April 10, 2010**

"Come on, Chloe, dare" Justin had said .

"Yes, do it!" Trevor insisted.

"And shit, dude!" Chloe replied in response. "Do you want me to die or what?"

"Are you afraid?" Asked a smiling Rachel, almost as if she was implying that this was true.

"Fuck, no" Chloe said in a snort, "but I do not want to end up as one of those missing people in the woods."

"Hmm" Rachel started planning something in her mind. "To make this more interesting, let's bet something."

"…I hear you."

"If you walk into the forest for about twenty minutes and get out of there alive" Chloe frowned at the blonde who was talking, "everyone here will pay you fifteen dollars."

"Wait, what? All of us? "Trevor asked as he looked at Rachel.

"Yes, all of us."

To be just a small maritime town, Arcadia Bay had extensive forests that surely occupied more land than the town itself. Because of this, the forests were the ideal place to hide or even escape from civilization. Those who were brave or stupid took small night walks in those parts, but usually they did not get very far; they disappeared without explanation or ran out of fear, promising never to go back there.

That is why almost no one dared to enter the woods around the small town, and those who did usually was for a bet, very rarely to prove their bravery or something similar. Unfortunately, Chloe Price ended up being those people who entered the woods due to stupid bets.

"I should not have bet a shit" Chloe muttered under her breath.

The strawberry blonde had walked to the part of the forest that was in the bedrooms of Blackwell. She walked a little, trying not to lose the way she had come. At one point, she decided to lie on the trunk of a tree. Rachel had said to come and go, but not to walk around, so she just stayed where she was, waiting for those demonized 20 minutes to pass.

"Fuck it. How much time has passed?"

Chloe pulled her phone out of one of the back pockets of her blue jeans, checking the time. She noticed that only 10 minutes had passed since she entered the forest, so there were another 10 minutes left until she won the bet. _Of course, if I get out of here alive._ A chill ran down her spine at the thought of that, so she shook her head to ward off those thoughts, saving her phone. She let out a sigh and crossed her arms, looking into the depths of the forest.

_Anyway, why do people disappear like that in these forests? I mean, I don't think it's due to any dangerous animal. I never saw any here, just deer or squirrels. Heh, maybe the bigfoots really exists and they are to blame._

The sound of leaves being stepped interrupted her thoughts. Chloe turned quickly toward the sound, realizing that pro came from some bushes a few meters away from her, something she was grateful for. She got a little nervous without knowing exactly why; perhaps because of the fact that possibly a bigfoot could come out of there and eat it alive. _It would not be a nice way to die_ , she thought.

The bushes moved, whatever was behind them was going to come out at any moment...

It was a deer.

A fucking deer.

The animal had jumped out of the bushes, and Chloe had almost had a heart attack from the scare it caused her.

"Fucking deer" she muttered angrily.

Chloe felt the urge to throw a large stone at the deer, but when she inspected the ground around her and could not find a large enough one, she gave up.

The deer looked around, apparently not paying attention to Chloe, and walked a few steps away from the girl before a figure jumped violently on the animal, surprising Chloe and making her move away from the tree and back a little. Grunts came from that figure; the figure was apparently devouring the deer, probably already dead after such an attack.

Chloe looked more closely at the figure lying on the poor animal. She looked like a dog to her. No, a wolf. A giant wolf, even a little bigger than the deer himself. That scared her, so she started to step back, trying to get away from that beast.

She stumbled.

Her foot slipped and she fell backward to the floor, cursing under her breath in pain. The wolf suddenly stopped devouring the deer, jerking its head back, looking at Chloe. The green eyes of the wolf glared at Chloe's blue eyes, and she thought she saw something in them ... human? Yes, maybe, but the animal was also in those eyes.

The wolf had a dense black coat, highlighting the color of his eyes. That beast stopped paying attention to the deer and turned his whole body to the girl, bent down and began to furtively approach Chloe, growling and showing his fangs, as if he was stalking his prey.

And Chloe was now his prey.

The girl was terrified, beginning to lean back with her hands and feet, trying to get away from the wolf. The beast prepared to jump, possibly the movement that would mark the end for Chloe, but was interrupted when another wolf, this time a little smaller than the first, it fell on his side, knocking him down and sending him a few meters away.

Chloe was stunned, not knowing what to do in this situation. If she ran, the wolf would most likely reach it before she set foot in Blackwell. If she stayed where she was, the result would probably be the same, besides making the beast's work easier. But the second wolf that appeared just at the right time did not seem to have the same goal as the first, because he had moved away from the black wolf to face Chloe in a protective way, as if it were a wall between the first wolf and the girl.

The black wolf went back to where the second wolf and Chloe were. Both wolves growled at each other, showing their fangs. Chloe would lie if she said she was not terrified in this situation, but strangely she felt a little sure of that wolf that was apparently protecting her, barely noticing that the second wolf had a dark brown fur.

After several grunts and half-barks that both wolves threw, the first one seemed defeated by the second, ceasing to grunt and watching the brown wolf and beyond him, probably trying to see Chloe. The black wolf turned and walked towards the body of the deer that he had killed recently and grabbed him by the neck with his jaws, taking it with him as he walked away from the scene.

The brown wolf relaxed visibly, and Chloe too, though she could not understand why. The animal looked over his shoulder at Chloe. His eyes were blue like those of the girl. The wolf began to cautiously approach Chloe, as if he did not want to scare her, and put his nose to the girl's face, sniffing her. The strawberry blonde could only watch the wolf with a puzzled look, not knowing exactly what to do or why the wolf was doing that to her.

The animal moved a little away from Chloe suddenly, looking at her with sad eyes, or so the girl had noticed. Chloe tried to get up, almost slipping when the wolf got behind her, serving as support so she would not fall. When she finally sat up, Chloe looked at the wolf carefully now that she was calmer. The animal reached to the jaw, being almost the same size as Chloe.

"…Thanks, I guess."

Chloe could swear that after saying those words the ghost of a small smile showed on the face of the wolf. After that, the wolf turned around and trotted into the depths of the forest, leaving a puzzled Chloe behind.

When Chloe returned to Blackwell, she had not bothered to check if she had managed to spend 20 minutes in the forest, although apparently she had managed to do so since Rachel, Justin and Trevor had paid her $15 each, but Chloe did not care about the money at that time. She only cared what had happened to her in that forest and the encounter with those two wolves.

Now she understood why those who entered the forest and came out alive promised themselves never to enter again. And her, no matter how hard she tried, she could not get the brown wolf out of her mind. For some reason that even she did not understand, she wanted to see him again.

Maybe she would go back into the woods again just to see if she achieves her mission.

Or maybe the destination has other plans to reunite them.


	2. We meet again

**October 18, 2013**

"So, that story you told me a few years ago, is it really true?" Rachel asked.

"Hell, Rachel. How many times do I have to tell you? Yes, it's fucking true."

Both girls were relaxing in their little lair in the junkyard. Rachel had brought a small weed for her and Chloe. They just wanted to relax for a while, so Rachel had proposed that they meet in her den, something Chloe was not going to refuse.

"Wow, three years of asking the same question and three years of receiving the same answer" laughed Rachel.

"And I will continue to give the same answer because it is the truth."

"Well, I will not believe it until I see it."

"Then go and enter the forest, to see if you have the same luck as me" Chloe said with a petulant smile.

"Uh, no, thanks. It would ruin my hair and my radiant clothes" Rachel answered nervously.

The bluenette laughed at her friend's nervousness. She knew that the blonde would not even be able to set foot in the woods even if they paid her a million dollars.

Chloe took a long drink from her joint, holding it for a few seconds before releasing the smoke in a sigh. She could feel the relaxing effects acting now, although that was more due to the fact that this was her second joint.

"Anyway, if I could show that brown wolf to close your mouth once and for all, I would as soon as I could" said Chloe, closing her eyes to enjoy the relaxation that the weed was giving her.

"You keep saying that and I still have not seen that wolf" Rachel said as she put aside her third joint. "But what about that big bad wolf that almost eats you alive?" She asked amused.

"Ugh, do not remind me" Chloe shuddered as she remembered that scene. "I still see those eyes in my nightmares, and I really don't want to see that black wolf in my life again."

"Who knows, maybe that black wolf is me and you do not even know it" Rachel said with a smile.

"Fuck, I think that weed is already affecting you, Rach" Chloe laughed. "First of all, you're a human, not a werewolf or what do I know, and those things don't exist. Second, your eyes are a hazel color. That is far from being green."

"Well, yes, maybe you're right about both" Rachel dropped into her seat. "But if those things really existed and their eyes could change color when they transform, maybe that big bad wolf would have been me, and maybe I did not even know it!"

Chloe looked at Rachel worriedly and then inspected her own joint, which was in the middle.

"Okay. What the fuck did you buy from Frank this time? I think this weed is very strong" Chloe murmured.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Oh, nothing, only the next time you buy Frank weed, I will not let you smoke more than two joints."

"Hey, that's not fair!"

"Yes it is, because I think you're close to getting an overdose."

Chloe stood up from her seat and walked over to Rachel, grabbing her arm to help her to her feet.

"Come on, Amber, I'll take you home, it's too late."

"Chloe Price saying it's already late?" Rachel asked as she stood awkwardly and smiled. "Who are you and what did you do with my best friend?"

"She went on vacation while her responsible twin supplied her" laughed Chloe.

"I did not expect that" Rachel replied, joining the bluenette's laughter.

Chloe took Rachel to her truck, helping her all the way, because the poor thing was stumbling all the time. Chloe made a mental note so that the next time they went to smoke, she would ask Justin for part of his supply. Of course, if the skater had enough to share with them. The lucky boy managed to get enough weed for himself.

The bluenette drove all the way to the Amber house laughing at the stupid things the blonde said. She was sure that Rachel would not remember anything when the effects of the weed passed, and if she did, she probably would not touch for a while the weed that Frank was selling.

When Chloe left Rachel at home, she was glad that the Amber were traveling, which left the whole house for Rachel. If the blonde had come home drugged and her parents saw her like that, they would have taken her daughter away from Chloe and would not even let her go out with her again. _You must be more careful, Price_ , Chloe thought once she started the engine and walked away from the Amber residence.

When the bluenette drove through the streets of Arcadia Bay, a thought remained in her. Rachel had called Chloe 'her best friend', and Chloe could not help but think of Max at that moment. She kept the thought deep in her mind as she took Rachel home, but now that she was alone, she could not help remembering it.

_Damn it, Max. Where the hell are you? What happened to you?_ Chloe thought. She still remembered with great detail when they gave her the news of the disappearance of her best friend.

* * *

**October 25, 2008**

A young Chloe Price was in the habitation sitting on the desktop of her computer. She was not using that electronic equipment, but something more traditional: paper and pencil.

She was drawing.

It was one of the first times she did it 'seriously', and it all started when her father died. The car accident was almost a month ago, that was true, but the first two weeks were the hardest. Chloe did not want to leave her room, let alone her house. Joyce did not have enough desire to go to work as usual, but at least the other Two Whales employees understood the situation and the poor woman was not required to attend work. The manager of the diner even was kind enough to keep paying Joyce even if she was not going to work.

When the second week after William's death was over, Max had gone to visit Chloe to spend time with her and comfort her, something she had been doing whenever she could, although school was an obstacle. At some point, when both girls had built a not-so-stable pillow fortress and had settled into it, Max had asked Chloe what she was doing to pass the time in addition to being with her.

"Practically nothing. I just spend it here, and Joyce does not help much either" Chloe had said.

"But there must be something you like to do, something that distracts you from everything."

"How do you do with photography?" Joked the blonde strawberry as she gave Max a playful shove.

"Yes, more or less" replied the brunette laughing.

"Well... I like to spend time with you."

Chloe smiled at that, causing Max to blush a little and show a small smile.

"But I don't think I have anything like what you have with photography" Chloe continued. "Maybe skating, it's something I like, but I only do it once in a while."

"Hmm. And how about drawing?" Max's blush was gone, but the smile still lingered.

"Draw?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Do you remember when we made those comics with our alter egos? Your drawings were much better than mine."

"Oh, come on. Yours were not so bad."

"But I can't overcome the teacher Chloe, successor of the great Picasso."

Both girls laughed at that joke. When they calmed down, Chloe was the one who spoke.

"So draw, huh?"

"Yep. I think if you spend more time, you could get to the museums."

"Oh! Maybe we both get to the museums."

"Both?"

"Yes! Your photos are amazing, Max, you probably get to the museums first than me."

"My photos are not that good, Chloe" Max said, averting his eyes shyly.

"Bullshit. They are incredible, period."

"Well, if you say so..."

Chloe suddenly took Max by the shoulders, shaking her lightly with emotion.

"Let's make a deal" said Chloe.

"About what?" Max asked with a smile.

"If you try hard with your photos, I'll make an effort in the drawing. So you will become a famous photographer and I will have something to do while you're not here" She said with a radiant smile.

Max had been more than in agreement with that, and from that moment Chloe had begun with the drawing. She realized as she began that she was really good at it, although she said that her art was rather decent.

While Chloe was drawing that Saturday afternoon, she had been immersed in her world, really forgetting the real world for once since her father died. Max was supposed to come in a few hours and stay for the night, something she was excited for.

And then they knocked on her door.

"Chloe?" Joyce had opened the door to her daughter's room long enough to stick her head out.

The girl looked at her mother and then looked back at her drawing.

"Yes, mom?" She asked without looking away from what she was doing.

"Honey, it's about Max."

That made Chloe look at Joyce immediately, now not caring about anything else.

"What's wrong with her?"

Joyce swallowed audibly. How would you tell a story of such magnitude to your daughter after everything she had gone through?

"Mom, you're worrying me. What's wrong with Max?"

"Honey... Max disappeared."

The pencil that Chloe held fell to the floor immediately.

* * *

**October 18, 2013**

The sound of a car horn knocked Chloe out of her thoughts, returning her to the present where she almost got out of the lane she was going through.

"Yes, fuck you too!" Chloe yelled at the other furious driver she passed.

The last thing Chloe needed was to have a car accident. She had already had an unpleasant experience about that, so she did not need another one.

After almost colliding with the truck, Chloe drove with her eyes on the road to Two Whales. She parked in one of the unoccupied stalls and got out of the truck, heading straight for the entrance door of the establishment. It was almost 6 pm, but still the diner had a lot of customers, even at that time. Apparently it was one of those days.

The bluenette went immediately to her usual position; the cabin in which she and Max always sat. Chloe sat at her post, with the diner on her left and Arcadia Bay on her right. She observed one of the corners of her desk, noticing the little graffiti of science that was there. _I still remember when I did that with one of the cutlery instead of using it to eat my food. Mom got angry about that, but forgot almost instantly._ Chloe smiled at the memory.

"Are you going to watch that all night?"

A familiar voice with a southern accent interrupted punk's thoughts. Chloe could hear the smile in her mother's voice.

"Maybe I will, yes" Chloe replied.

"Well, I think it's better if you do it with food, do not you think?"

"Huh, good recommendation, mom."

"I will guess. Free food?"

Chloe beamed at Joyce.

"You do know."

"You know? Someday you would have to pay for your food."

"Sorry, mom" Chloe looked in all her pockets: those in her jacket and jeans, and pulled out a few coins that totaled no more than 87 cents, "but I think I'm poor."

Joyce shook her head with a small smile.

"Save your money, Chloe."

"Yes, ma'am." The bluenette kept the little money she had back in her pockets.

"Oh, by the way, today I will not be home until tomorrow morning."

"And that?" Asked the surprised punk.

"One of the girls is not going to be able to see her turn and I'm going to have to take her for her." A sad little smile formed on Joyce's face. "Extra money."

"Extra money" Chloe murmured sadly. "And step-douche?"

"His name is David, Chloe."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Hmph" Joyce sighed. "David is going to take the night shift, so he will not be home until tomorrow either."

_So I have the house to myself? Thanks, God._

"Well, it's good to hear it."

"Just do not fire the house" Joyce said half jokingly and half seriously.

"I don't promise anything, Joyce" Chloe said with a smile.

"It's fine, it's fine. So, will you eat here or do you prefer food to go?"

"I think this time it will be food to go."

* * *

When Chloe got her food from Two Whales, she went straight to her truck and went straight to her house. She left the car parked outside the garage and went into the house, going directly to the couch to watch some television while enjoying the food and watching any program that seemed interesting on the TV.

She spent most of her time lying on the couch and watching television. With no one at home to bother or to hang out with Rachel (who probably was still under the effects of the weed or maybe going through the aftermath of it), Chloe had nothing to do.

Sure, except maybe draw.

But every time that thought came to her mind she quickly moved it aside, that brought back many bad memories.

It had been about 3 hours and Chloe was still in her same position on the couch. She was sure she had left a mark on her backside on the couch having spent so much time there. _Probably serving as a territorial brand_ , she thought at that moment. But Chloe was really starting to get sleepy at the time, so she did not even bother turning off the television. After all, she had the house to herself for the rest of the night.

* * *

Her dream was interrupted when a creaking came from the backyard the house. Chloe opened her eyes a little, almost becoming blind when the light of the television hit her. She put an arm over her eyes to cover the light a bit, but it was too late; she had woken up and probably would not sleep again until her body rested on a mattress.

"Ugh, I don't want to get up..." Chloe murmured.

Then another crunch sounded. This time a little stronger. Chloe was alert for a second, but did not give much importance, so she just sat lazily on the couch, looking for the remote control.

Crunch. Crunch.

"Fuck."

Now Chloe really got alert. She thought of some scenarios to make sense of those sounds from outside: or someone was trying to get into the house or an animal was taking a night walk in her backyard. If given the choice, Chloe would prefer a thousand times to be an animal taking a walk.

She stood up and walked cautiously to the sliding door that led to the backyard. Chloe peeked out the side of the door, trying only to see her head, and observed something that was not expected. At least not that night.

There was a giant wolf in her backyard.

And to top it all it was the same brown wolf that Chloe had seen 3 years ago.

Or that she wanted to believe.

"What the fu-"

Chloe stopped her sentence when the wolf turned toward the sliding door. To top it off, he was looking her in the eyes. Chloe could see the blue eyes of the wolf, the same blue eyes that watched her that terrifying night.

Her thoughts were cast aside as the wolf started walking slowly towards the sliding door. Chloe had moved enough so that her entire body was completely in front of the door. She strangely felt no fear, just like that night, so she let the wolf come to the door, leaving them both face to face.

Chloe could easily tell that the wolf now measured almost the same as her; apparently the animal had grown a little since the last time. The wolf tore the door glass lightly with one leg, as if trying to say something.

"You... want to come in?"

The animal nodded. That surprised Chloe.

"Uh, c-can you understand me?"

The wolf nodded again. Chloe put a hand to her forehead, not knowing exactly what to do or how to react to this situation.

A lightning bolt appeared very close to where they were, and the thunder that accompanied it did not take long to make an appearance. The wolf turned toward the din and shrugged a little, apparently fearful of what was coming.

"Shit, it's true. Apparently there was going to be a storm tonight" Chloe said absently.

The animal turned towards her, looking at her pleadingly.

"I guess you're afraid of that storm, huh? Do not you want to get wet?" Joked the bluenette.

The wolf nodded desperately, and Chloe was not sure what to do. Letting an animal like that into your home did not seem like the best of ideas. But that wolf had saved her life a long time ago, so she should return the favor, right?

With a sigh, Chloe opened the sliding door enough for the wolf to enter, which he did immediately. As soon as he entered, a small drizzle began to fall, causing Chloe to close the door quickly.

"Fuck, just in time."

The wolf approached the sliding door, seeing through the glass the beginning of what would soon become a storm. Apparently, the animal had not realized that it had been practically next to Chloe. On the other hand, Chloe does.

"So... Hello again, I suppose."

The wolf turned to Chloe and nodded slightly in response.

"How the hell did you get here?" Chloe asked confused.

The wolf slowly brought his nose up to Chloe's face, who did not step back, and touched her nose lightly. That made Chloe smile a little.

"The smell?"

The animal nodded, apparently happy that the punk understood. Then they both looked through the glass of the door; the storm was starting to get ugly, with constant lightning and thunder.

"I wonder what the fuck I smell like so you've tracked me here" Chloe asked absently as she watched the storm.

The bluenette then turned to the wolf and, without thinking twice, put a hand on the head of the animal and stroked it gently. The wolf seemed to like that, for he leaned on Chloe's touch. That made the girl smile.

"You know? I'm sorry to say it, but you can not stay here." Chloe looked toward the front door. "If Joyce or step-douche arrive and they see you, probably mom will have a heart attack and the idiot may want to chase you, just like he did with that deer in that picture" Chloe paused and her smile disappeared, forming a sad expression. "And I would not want that to happen to you."

The wolf looked Chloe in the eye and he went to her chest, laying his head on it. The smile on Chloe returned and she stroked the wolf's head with both hands. When she ran a hand over the animal's snout, she felt something scratchy. When she saw more closely, she noticed that there was a scar there.

"Wow, what a big scar you have there" The wolf let out a small moan, probably annoyed by that scar on his snout.

Chloe sighed and continued caressing the wolf, watching the storm that was outside. Then she looked at the wolf again.

"Listen, you can not stay here all night. But if you don't want to go out and face that fucking storm, then you can stay until it subsides. When I went through the television channels, I saw that they said that this storm would only last an hour or two, so it's good for me as well as for you, do not you think?" Chloe smiled at the wolf.

The animal leaned back a little and looked at Chloe happily, wagging his tail slightly. Chloe laughed softly and put a hand on her hip.

"I guess that's a yes."

The wolf nodded and went straight to where the sofa and TV were, lying down and banging in front of the sofa. The wolf watched expectantly Chloe, who understood that the wolf wanted her to lie on the sofa.

"You want company?" Chloe laughed.

The bluenette took off her jacket and left it on the dining room table before turning to the sofa and throwing herself into it. The wolf saw her and then settled back, closing his eyes.

"Night, wolf" said Chloe before falling asleep with a small smile.

The next morning, Chloe had to explain to her mother why there was mud with human footprints and dog legs near the sliding door.


	3. Chasing you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't notice the choice of words for the title of this chapter (?
> 
> And the name of the song that appears almost at the beginning of the chapter is "Chase It", by Set It Off, in case you can't hear it for any reason.

** October 20, 2013 **

After Chloe had lied to Joyce by telling her that a stray dog had entered the house and that Chloe had tried to chase him away (which was a half-truth), the punk had gone straight to her room without even bothering to take off her black leather jacket.

Once Chloe got there, she collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She searched the left side of the bed for her cigarette box and, with a deft hand, pulled a cigarette out of the box. Then she looked for her lighter and the red ashtray, putting the ashtray on her abdomen. Then she lit the cigarette, leaving the lighter on the side of her bed.

"Hmm, I need a little ambience" Chloe said as she searched for the remote control of her stereo.

When she found it, she turned on the sound equipment and the [music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsxQFTNOzTw) started coming out of the speakers. Chloe threw the remote control to one side of her bed and started smoking, taking a long drag of the cigarette and then releasing it.

_Joyce said there were traces of dog legs and human feet, but I do not remember taking off my boots at any time last night.  _ _I would have felt the mud on my feet, and that shit would not have felt good at all_ , Chloe thought.  _What's more, how did that fucking wolf get out of the house?_

" _Who knows, maybe that black wolf is me and you don't even know it_ " Rachel's words came to Chloe's mind.

_ Maybe those things really exist?... _

"Yeah right. What stupidity" mocked the bluenette as she lightly shook the cigarette in the ashtray so that the ashes fell. "You're thinking a lot about that, Price. Let drugged Rachel not affect you."

Suddenly, Chloe's cell phone started ringing. When the girl grabbed him from her bedside table and checked who could be writing to her on a Saturday morning, she couldn't help but think of the expression 'Talking about the King of Rome'.

** Rachel: Hey, Priceless, did you see my cell phone yesterday? **

**Rachel: Why do I even write to you now?  Surely you are sleeping, you lazybones**

** Chloe: i am awake **

** Chloe: surprisingly **

**Rachel: Wow.  You don't see that every day. I think I feel lucky to witness such a marvel**

** Chloe: good morning to you too, idiot **

** Chloe: btw, how the hell are you writing to me if you're asking me if I saw your cell phone? **

** Rachel: My father always has an emergency cell phone :P **

** Chloe: very smart **

** Chloe: and NO EMOJI **

** Rachel: xD **

** Rachel: So, did you see my cell phone or not? **

** Chloe: i do not remember seeing it anywhere **

** Rachel: Shit **

** Rachel: That thing is my life and soul in rectangular shape **

**Rachel: Can you look for it in your truck or in the junkyard?  I probably left it in one of those places**

** Chloe: if you left it in my truck, maybe you'll never see it again **

** Chloe: that thing is like a mini-junkyard **

** Rachel: :'( **

** Rachel: Please **

** Chloe: *sigh* well, i'll look for you, drama queen **

**Rachel: Yey!  Thanks, Chlo**

"Goddammit, Rachel."

Chloe reluctantly put out the cigarette in the ashtray and left it in the usual place. The punk stood up from her bed and left the phone on it, then went to the closet and grabbed some clean clothes: a black tank top with a golden skull image in front and some broken black jeans. Chloe did not even bother to take a shower, she just changed clothes, keeping her combat boots as her shoes and her ever faithful dark blue hat, plus the bullet necklace that she was wearing all around lately.

Chloe grabbed the keys of the truck she had left on the desk and then left her room, went down the stairs and immediately came the smell of eggs and bacon. Her mother was already making breakfast.

"Chloe? Is it you?" Joyce called from the kitchen.

Chloe refrained from rolling her eyes and instead replied with a "Yes, mom."

"What are you doing awake? You usually sleep until noon" laughed Joyce.

Chloe went to the kitchen and leaned against the frame.

"And I would be pleased to sleep until that time, but Rachel has me running errands."

"Oh, so that's why."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her mother's reaction.

"You don't sound very happy about it" Chloe said.

"Do not get me wrong, honey, you know I have nothing against Rachel" Joyce defended as she put her hand near the stove and turned to Chloe. "It's just that I thought you might want to have a family breakfast for once."

"I'm not really hungry right now, mom" Chloe started toward the door.

"Chloe, wait," Joyce called, peering through the kitchen frame. "You're not even going to eat your breakfast at least?"

"I'm just going to look for something, Joyce, it will be quick. I can have breakfast when I return" Chloe did not even bother to look at her mother, but just walked out the door when she finished talking.

Joyce could not help but let out an exasperated sigh as she went back to what she was doing.

* * *

When Chloe got into her truck, she went looking in every possible corner trying to find Rachel's cell phone. Under the seats, in the glove box, in the holes that were around; the cell phone was nowhere to be found, and Chloe thought seriously about cleaning the truck, she did not really lie when she told Rachel that the truck was a mini-junkyard.

"Well, obviously it's not here" Chloe said as she sat in her seat and closed the driver's door. "It's that or the trash monster ate the cell phone."

Chloe put the key in the ignition and the engine roared. The bluenette pulled the truck with a squeal of wheels from the garage and drove straight to the junkyard.

* * *

Chloe was still stirring things up and throwing others while searching in her lair and Rachel's cell phone. In the end she ended up finding it in a corner of the place, wondering how Rachel had done to leave it there.  _Maybe it was because of that weed.  _ _Fuck, that real shit was strong_ , Chloe thought.

Her line of thought was interrupted when a half bark sounded near her, drawing her attention. Chloe sat up and turned to the door of the lair, where the sound came from.

"No fucking way" said a surprised Chloe.

The same brown wolf from the previous encounters was standing outside the doorframe, apparently happy with the frantic wiggle of its tail. Chloe put Rachel's cell phone in one of her back pockets and approached the big animal with confidence, which immediately put her head on Chloe's chest with the same confidence as she did. The punk then began to caress the head of the wolf, being careful not to go through its snout and receiving a satisfactory sound coming from the animal.

"You like to get attention, huh?" Chloe smiled.

_Damn it, his fur is soft_ , Chloe thought absently.

"Hey boy. Or girl?" The wolf looked Chloe in the eye. "Why are you still coming for me? I don't have food, you know?" Chloe teased.

The wolf just looked at Chloe, and the bluenette could see a flash of affection in those blue eyes. Could that wolf really feel that kind of emotion? Chloe was not sure, but what she was sure of was that the animal was much smarter than any she had ever seen.

It seemed almost human, in a way.

"You know what? It doesn't matter" Chloe said shaking her head. "I'm an idiot when I ask something like that to an animal that can't speak."

The way the wolf looked at Chloe made her think that the animal had been offended.  _Sure, he can't talk but he can understand you, idiot._

"I better close my mouth, I just say stupid things" Chloe said half jokingly.

The wolf stepped forward, placing his head on Chloe's chest and almost knocking the girl down. She understood immediately that the animal just wanted more attention, making a toothy smile appear on Chloe's face.

"You don't get tired of this, right? To be a giant wolf, you really are kind of cute."

Chloe received a cheerful moan from the wolf in response. The punk could not stand for long, for her feet were begging her to sit down, something she did carefully. Chloe crossed her legs and the wolf immediately laid his head on the girl's lap, lying next to her. Chloe lost no time in continuing to caress the animal, occasionally also caressing behind the ears.

A thought crossed Chloe's mind, provoking a sad smile.

"I don't know why, but... you remind me quite an old friend."

The wolf tensed for a moment, but quickly pulled it aside. Chloe did not seem to notice it.

"Blue eyes, brown hair, a little shorter than me" Chloe laughed without encouragement. "You only need to see hipster clothes and take pictures of everything and you would be just like her."

Chloe's smile disappeared and she held back a sob. The wolf snuggled closer to Chloe, as if trying to comfort her.

"...God, I miss her. She just disappeared from the face of the Earth one day, just like her family." Chloe paused, trying to calm down. "You know? I always wanted to get out of this shithole, and I had several opportunities to do it, but every time I thought about it, I would ask myself: 'What would happen if Max shows up one day and I'm not there?'"A tear fell from Chloe's left eye, she could not contain it anymore. The wolf raised his head from the lap of the bluenette, looking sadly at Chloe. "I still think that she will one day return, safe and sound, as if nothing had happened. But over the years that hope is falling apart... Every time I have less opportunity to see her again."

Tears flowed freely down Chloe's cheeks, she did not even bother to clean them and her eyes were down, her eyes closed. The wolf stood up and put his nose to Chloe's face. As an attempt to comfort her, the animal wiped the girl's tears with the tip of his tongue, then placed his head in the hollow of Chloe's neck.

The punk opened her eyes slightly and wiped away the rest of the tears that the wolf could not clean. Then she took the animal's snout with her hands and brought it closer to her face, making them both meet each other's eyes. Chloe smiled at the wolf.

"Thanks... again."

The wolf nodded slightly and then gently parted from Chloe's touch. The animal turned around and left the lair, strolling through the junkyard as if looking for something. Chloe then stood up and approached the door frame of the lair, looking with confusion and curiosity at the wolf.

"Are you looking for something?" Chloe called.

The wolf turned to Chloe and nodded, then returned to his search.

After several minutes of touring the place, the wolf seemed to have found what he was looking for. Apparently the object that the animal was looking for was hidden very well. When the wolf grabbed the object carefully with its jaws, it almost ran to Chloe, who was still leaning against the door frame of the lair, waiting patiently.

"What are you bringing up there, boy?" Chloe asked as the wolf approached her with the object.

The animal left the object at Chloe's feet, to then look expectantly at the girl. Suddenly, the wolf jumped a little and snatched the hat from Chloe, earning a "Hey!" from the girl. The animal took a few steps back and then turned around. He glanced over his shoulder at Chloe for the last time before running off into the woods with her hat in his jaws.

That left Chloe more confused than she was before. She looked down at the object the wolf had left in front of her and picked it up. Chloe was surprised when she realized what it was.

The object was a polaroid that showed a map of the Arcadia Bay lighthouse at dusk. The angle at which the photo was taken showed the sea, the beach and some buildings in the distance. Chloe would lie if she said that the photo was not beautiful. Worst of all, the image reminded her of the photos a person used to take.

_ Max... _

Chloe noticed late that at the bottom of the Polaroid there was an arrow drawn that indicated that the photo was turned over, something that Chloe did without hesitation.

"Fuck..." Chloe gasped.

In the reversal of the polaroid there was a message written in letter mold, almost seemed hastily scribbled.

 

** See you in the place of the photo. **

** Don't come with anyone. **

** 9 pm **

 

Chloe quickly took out her cell phone to check the time.

10:24 am

She still had plenty of time to prepare for whatever she would see at the lighthouse later that night.

Her cell phone suddenly sounded, bringing it to the present.

**Rachel: Yo, Chloe.  Did you find my cell phone?**

Chloe suddenly remembered why she had come to the junkyard in the first place.

** Chloe: yes, i found it **

** Chloe: it's final, i will not let you smoke more than two joints of Frank's weed next time **

** Rachel: :'( **

* * *

Chloe felt that it was centuries while she waited for 9 pm, and for the first time in a long time, she spent her time drawing. Surprisingly, she had not lost much practice, because the drawings ended with an acceptable quality for her taste. If you could understand, it was enough for Chloe.

Of course, the only thing she thought about drawing was not anything other than that brown wolf. From time to time, Chloe would draw the black wolf of that time, making him look demonic. At least that was how it looked for her.

Chloe didn't realize how fast time passed or how much she had been locked in her room, since she had literally started with the drawings when she arrived home later that morning after having taken Rachel to her cell phone.

Her room ended with several sketches of drawings scattered on the floor, some on the bed and others on her computer desk. And while she added some final details to one of the many drawings she had made, she saw the time on her computer.

8:45 pm

If Chloe wanted to get to the lighthouse on time, she had to leave now, so she took all the essentials (which did not include anything other than her cell phone and the truck keys) and went down the stairs carefully, trying not to alert Joyce or David. In the end, Chloe managed to dodge both adults and leave the house directly to her truck. She climbed into the driver's seat, closing the door behind her and turning on the engine to then leave the place and drive towards the lighthouse.

* * *

When Chloe arrived and parked the truck in the parking lot on the hill overlooking the lighthouse, she immediately got out of the vehicle and closed the driver's door too tightly.

Chloe climbed the hill almost trotting, and she could not understand why she felt that emotion and anxiety in reaching the lighthouse. Perhaps the fact that that brown wolf had asked her to meet was the cause of her emotion. Or maybe something else that Chloe could not understand. But she did not care about her emotions at that moment, she just wanted to get to the lighthouse.

That was all.

Chloe had finally reached the top of the hill, panting slightly from the fast walk. She was surprised not to find a wolf this time. Instead, near the bank of the cliff was a girl with her back to Chloe, her hands behind her back. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt, with a black and red plaid shirt tied at her waist by the sleeves, and generic blue knee-length jeans. Her brown hair was so long that she only needed a few inches to reach the waist of the girl. And Chloe could not help but overlook the fact that the girl was barefoot.

The bluenette approached the brunette cautiously and stopped a few steps away from her. Chloe cleared her throat loudly to get the girl's attention.

And it worked.

When the girl looked over her shoulder and looked at Chloe, a sad smile formed on her face and her eyes watered almost instantaneously.

"Did you come."

Chloe listened to the simple words of the girl and could not help thinking that the voice sounded familiar. It was not until she saw more closely the face of the girl that Chloe realized who she was.

The light of the moon made her blue eyes stand out. Freckles dotted most of her face and a slightly deep scar crossed the girl's nose horizontally.

Chloe had seen that face many times in her life.

Chloe thought she would never see that face again in her life.

And after 5 years..., there she was.

"...Max?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Max finally makes her appearance (at least in human form). Soon we will know why she was absent from Chloe's life for 5 years and what happened to her over the years. And a certain character will also appear soon...
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments that you have left, at least I know that there are those who like what I write here xD


	4. Meeting you

** October 20, 2013 **

"Hey, Chloe... It's been a long time."

_Wow, she looks so different_ , Chloe thought when she completely examined Max's appearance.

"Max... Is that really you?" Chloe could not believe what she saw.

"Yes, Chloe" Max turned completely to her old friend. "It's me."

"You... Wow. Just wow. You look so different."

Max smiled shyly and gave a small giggle.

"I know, it's nothing like my old self. It's one of the... consequences."

"Consequences? Of what? Your disappearance?" Chloe asked not wanting to sound angry, which she did not.

Max's smile faded and her expression became sad and nostalgic.

"Yes" replied Max. "I guess I owe you some answers, isn't it?"

Chloe crossed her arms, almost defiantly, but Max really did not care. She already expected a reaction from the punk.

"Come. Let's talk a little" Max said as she shook her head slightly towards the bench near the cliff.

The brunette turned around and walked calmly to the bench, sitting on the right side of it. Chloe looked at the girl and at one point her expression softened a little, letting her arms fall to her sides.  _You don't lose anything by talking to her, Price.  Also, this is what you wanted, right? _ _See Max again..._  Chloe thought as she let out a sigh and approached the bench.

Chloe sat on the free side of the bench and leaned back in her seat. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Max, noticing that the girl was leaning her elbows on her legs and holding her head in her hands, staring at the horizon with an impassive gaze. Chloe could also see that the muscles in the brunette's arms were somewhat defined, as were the muscles in her legs.  _Shit, she really looks good._

"Isn't she beautiful?"

"Huh?" Chloe really was not paying attention to what Max was saying.

"Moon. Isn't she beautiful?" Max asked again without looking away.

The bluenette looked at Max and then she raised her head slightly towards the night sky, getting a great view of the huge satellite.

"I suppose so" Chloe replied.

"Do you know why wolves sometimes howl at the moon?"

Chloe did not respond, but decided to remain silent, looking at Max out of the corner of her eye all the time.

"Actually they don't" Max continued. "The howls of the wolves are linked to the pack, reproduction, survival and even feelings. But they have nothing to do with the moon."

Max paused for a long time, one that Chloe almost interrupted to break the silence, but Max took the lead by speaking first.

"Do you know why I tell you this?"

"I think I have an idea, yes" Chloe finally could speak.

"So tell me. Did you finally get my message?" Max changed the subject radically.

Chloe snorted and crossed her arms.  _Way to divert the conversation, Max._

"So it was you, huh? You know that if I had not received it, I would not be here."

Max giggled. "Yeah, you're right. I think that was a stupid question. "

"And I can ask a question equal or more stupid than that."

"Oh, really?" Asked Max amused, finally looking at Chloe but not changing position.

Chloe would probably regret asking what was swimming in her mind for a few days, and she thought she already knew the answer. But she really didn't want it to be true.

"That big brown wolf" Chloe began. "Is it your pet or what? Because he has managed to find me even in my hiding place apparently not so secret."

Max turned slightly to Chloe and looked at her strangely for a moment. But that expression was later replaced by an accomplice smile and Max looked back at the horizon, without removing the smile from her face.

"We both know you're a lot smarter than that, Chloe Price."

That phrase was enough to clear Chloe's doubts.

The bluenette didn't want to believe that was true. It could not be, right? She had to ask Max directly, she had to make sure. So Chloe looked at the brunette with an indecipherable expression.

"So that brown wolf was you" It was more an affirmation than a question.

Max laughed without humor. "What gave me away?"

"But that's impossible" Chloe replied. "Those things don't exist, they're just a fucking legen-"

Chloe's speech was interrupted when something hit her in the face. Chloe grabbed the object and when she saw it she gasped in surprise.

"I forgot to return your hat" said Max absently, returning to her usual position. "Sorry for taking it off so suddenly in the morning."

"So it's true..." Chloe murmured, putting on her hat.

Both girls were silent for a while, navigating their own oceans of thoughts. Chloe tried to assimilate everything, Max wondered if doing all this had been a good idea. The brunette had risked the second time she met Chloe, but this was already passing the limits.

"How is that possible?" Chloe asked, breaking the silence.

Max just gave a simple answer. "My family."

"What happened to them? Where are your parents, Max?" Chloe asked without thinking twice.

Max didn't answer for several seconds, and that made Chloe afraid to have touched a topic that, well, should not be touched.

But the punk was surprised by the response that the brunette gave her.

"They were attacked, Chloe." Max stared impassively at the night sky and the stars, seeing the brightness they transmitted. "They died."

_You and your big mouth, Price.  You've fucked up..._

A tear fell down Max's left cheek, but she wiped it quickly. Chloe wanted to say something comforting even though she knew she was not good with 'sentimental shit', but was soon interrupted by Max.

"I still remember when William died. I remember how his death affected you; you didn't want to leave your room, you didn't eat what Joyce cooked you even if you loved her food, you stopped doing things you liked" Max closed her eyes briefly and then opened them slightly, leaning back in her seat and observing the view in front of her. "I couldn't understand in depth how you felt back then, I still had mom and dad, and it was not fair for you to lose a loved one so close to you at such an early age" Chloe clenched her teeth in an attempt to hold back the tears. "Sometimes I think the world is unfair and that good people like you, Chloe, suffer the worst that the universe has" Max finally turned to Chloe and both girls looked into each other's eyes, both of them to the point of tears. "I'm really sorry that William was dead, he was a good man and he was also like a second father to me. When he died, a part of me did too, and I'm sure it happened to you too. And now that my parents are gone..." Max looked down, unable to see Chloe in the eye anymore. "I knew at that moment how you should have felt when William left you... Seriously, I'm really sorry I left in such a fragile moment in your life, Chloe... I hope that one day you will forgive-"

Max was interrupted when a pair of arms pulled her into a big hug. The brunette did not know how to react at the time, but sooner or later she returned the hug to Chloe, taking care not to squeeze too much.

Both girls cried silently on each other's shoulder, releasing years of pain and sadness that both passed. None would have cared to stay that way for hours, just enjoying the touch and the company of the other.

"You don't have to apologize, Max" Chloe said softly, muffled by Max's shoulder.

"But I left you at the worst moment of your life, Chloe..." Max said in a weak and pleading voice.

The bluenette leaned back a bit, holding the brunette by the shoulders. Both had red eyes from crying.

"And it wasn't your fault. You didn't decide to disappear from one moment to the next... or did you?" Chloe almost begged.

Max shook her head sharply. "No, no! Not in a million years would I want to get away from you in that way! That was..." Max stopped for a moment and let out an exasperated sigh. "It's complicated." Max looked at Chloe with steely eyes. "But I never wanted to get away from you. In fact..." Max's gaze turned soft and a small sad smile formed on her face, "I never left Arcadia Bay."

"What?" Chloe was really surprised by that revelation. "You mean I always had my best friend practically by my side and I never knew it?" Chloe did not want to sound angry, but her tone of voice betrayed her.

"It's not what you think, Chlo" Max interrupted quickly, not realizing she used Chloe's old nickname. The punk, on the other hand, did notice, but did not say anything about it. "I promise I'll explain everything to you, okay? But it can't be here or today" She explained sadly in her voice.

"It's okay, it's okay" Chloe sighed, then pulled Max into another hug, which the brunette returned enthusiastically. "I'm just glad to have you back, Maximus."

"And I'm glad to see you again, Chloe." Max really said it with all sincerity.

A howl from the forest caused both girls to separate from the hug. Chloe looked at the forest with some fear. Max, on the other hand, just smiled while shaking her head.

"Sorry, Chloe, but I must go now."

"Now? So soon?" There was a hint of sadness in the punk's voice.

"Don't worry, I will not disappear like five years ago" said the brunette half jokingly and half seriously. "It's just that they're calling me, and I can't ignore the 'call'."

Chloe and Max laughed lightly at the brunette's joke, but the bluenette could not help but feel a sense of sadness inside her at Max's sudden departure, but she kept those feelings to herself.

Max smiled reassuringly and took Chloe's hands to give them a slight squeeze before getting up from the bench and walking towards the forest. Max stopped halfway and then turned to Chloe.

"Chloe?" She called.

"Yes, Max?" Chloe said as she looked over her shoulder at the brunette.

"Please, don't tell anyone that you've seen me" said Max pleadingly. "Even Joyce can't know I'm here."

Chloe was a little surprised by Max's request, but decided not to interfere in it. That would be a conversation for another day. Chloe would make sure of that.

"Okay, don't worry. I will not tell anyone."

Max smiled at Chloe before heading back into the woods, but the bluenette hurried to stop Max. She needed to ask the brunette for something.

"Max, wait."

Max stopped and looked over her shoulder at Chloe. The girl was practically one step away from entering the forest.

"Yes? What's going on?"

"...Can I ever see you again at some point?" The punk really seemed sensitive to ask that.

The brunette reflected on what answer to give her friend, finally deciding to make a risky decision.

"Do you know any place where you can go quietly and make sure you're alone?" Max asked.

"Yes, the junkyard. You went there this morning, that place is practically abandoned and only Rachel and me go there."

"Can you make sure Rachel is not there tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes. I can do that."

Max smiled sweetly at Chloe and turned toward the forest.

"Then I'll see you there tomorrow at sunset."

That was the last thing the brunette said before entering the forest and disappearing into it.

Chloe stood watching the place where Max had left for a few seconds before whispering a few words.

"I'll be waiting for you, Max."

* * *

Max walked quietly along the forest trails. Her bare feet had become accustomed over the years to the feeling of dirt, mud and leaves, so she didn't mind taking walks in these parts.

The sound of light footsteps reached Max's sensitive ears, making her see with a smile in the direction from which the sound came.

"You can't surprise me as before, Astrid" said Max.

"Damn it" There was a murmur in response not far from where Max was.

A few seconds later, a tall and beautiful woman emerged from some bushes, approaching Max with a pout.

"You're not funny anymore, Maxi" said Astrid, giving Max a playful push on the shoulder.

"I learned from the best, don't blame me" laughed Max, giving Astrid back the push.

"Then, tell me" The woman began as she put an arm around the smaller girl's shoulders. "How did your little meeting go?"

"Better than I thought, to tell the truth" Max admitted, blushing a little.

"You see? I told you it was going to be fine!" Astrid cheerfully shook Max by the shoulders, making the brunette almost dizzy.

"Ok, ok, ok, I got it" Max said with a laugh as she separated from Astrid to escape her shaking. "You were right. I should never have doubted you, master" joked Max with a smile and a small bow.

Astrid burst out laughing, approaching Max only when her laughter calmed down and she dragged the brunette into a big bear hug.

"When can I meet that girl in person?" The woman asked once she separated from the younger one.

"Soon, I promise. I just want to wait for the right moment, I don't want to ruin it this time, you know?" Max replied melancholy.

"I understand you" Astrid comforted her with a smile. "Don't worry, everything will be fine with her."

"It's not she who worries me, Astrid" Max said with a serious face.

"Oh. I see" Astrid immediately understood what Max was referring to.

Max moved closer to Astrid and hugged the woman tightly, who returned the hug with the same intensity. The brunette came up to Astrid's neck, but that did not bother Max.

Astrid gave Max a small kiss on the head trying to comfort her, while calming the brunette's back reassuringly.

"I'm scared, Astrid" Max muttered, her voice muffled by the woman's neck.

"Don't worry, Maxi. Everything will be fine" Astrid tried to comfort the child.

_ Nothing is ever going well in this world... _

That was Max's last thought at that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, finally Max and Chloe met :) And I must say that I'm prone to make long dialogues, like that great dialogue of Max. It is just a 'warning'.
> 
> There are still many things to discover and a few others that must be explained in this story...
> 
> See you in the next chapters.


	5. Forced disappearance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A warning: There is a scene of graphic violence in this chapter, so reading it is your responsibility.
> 
> And as an extra note, this is, so far, the longest chapter I've written for this story, that's why the delay. Sorry.
> 
> Enjoy.

** March 11, 2011 **

The door to the principal's office opened, letting Joyce in. The woman sat in the free chair in front of the wooden desk. Chloe was sitting in the other chair, next to her mother. The girl looked bored to nowhere.

Principal Wells looked out the window of his office with his hands behind his back, the man didn't need to turn around to find out who had entered his office.

"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Price" said Raymond Wells, director of the Blackwell Academy.

The man turned around and sat down in his chair, leaning his elbows on the desk and clasping his hands together. Wells looked with a stern look at the 17-year-old girl.

"Chloe Price, I assume you know why you are here."

Chloe shrugged nonchalantly. She couldn't care less what was happening now.

And less on a day like today.

"Hmph. Does your mother even know why you are here?" Wells insisted.

"Chloe?" Joyce said worriedly, looking at her daughter.

"It was nothing, mom." Chloe was sounding discouraged.

"It was nothing, you say? You damaged private property, Miss Price."

"Yeah, sure" Chloe huffed indignantly, leaning forward in her seat. "Define 'damage', Wells, because as far as I'm concerned, what I did was improve this shithole."

"What did she do, Director Wells?" Joyce interjected, diverting attention from the fight that was forming between her daughter and the man.

Wells leaned back in his chair and looked at Joyce with the same look he had given Chloe.

"As I said before, Chloe damaged private property, Mrs. Price. They were the facilities of the Blackwell Academy, to be more precise. She did graffiti all over the girl's bathroom; in the mirrors, the walls, the doors of the posts- "

"I repeat what I said, I improved this fucking place" Chloe interrupted him, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms, angry. "Also, the bathroom is not a big deal."

"Chloe, please" Joyce begged.

"It is if we take into account the other problems that Blackwell Academy has caused, Miss Price, your record is full of them" Wells said. "This institution has already endured for a long time its constant bad behavior, not to mention that it has already been stopped once by entering the campus in possession of marijuana."

"Bullshit" Chloe murmured.

"I still have not forgotten when they called me about the weed" Joyce said under her breath, glancing at her daughter. The woman let out an exasperated sigh before speaking. "Where do you want to go with all this, Principal Wells?"

The man turned to Joyce. His expression remained steely.

"Chloe has already given us too many problems, Mrs. Price. The girl's bathroom was the last straw, and I see no other option than to expel her daughter from the Blackwell Academy."

The young woman didn't react visibly to this revelation, because she knew that at some point this would happen.

Chloe let Joyce and Wells discuss the issue of her expulsion, without really paying attention to what they said. When the discussion was over, Wells remained adamant about Chloe's expulsion without Joyce being able to do something about it. In the end he dismissed both Price women from his office, telling Chloe that one of Blackwell's guards would accompany her to her locker so she could clear it.

As soon as Chloe and Joyce went out into the hall, the young woman addressed her mother, looking at her with an apologetic expression.

"Listen, mom, I'm so-"

"No, no" Joyce interrupted as she held up a hand, telling her to stop. "Just..." Joyce let out a sigh. "We'll talk later, Chloe. I have to return to work. I'll see you at home in the night" She said softly.

Joyce then left the campus, and Chloe had to go to her locker and get all her stuff out of him. She was accompanied by a guard named Skip, who kindly wished Chloe a happy birthday.

Chloe happily accepted it despite the circumstances.

* * *

When Chloe finished emptying her locker, she left through the main campus door and stopped at the top of the stairs. A long-haired blonde waited sitting on the last step, with her back to Chloe. The 17-year-old approached the other girl and sat next to her. The blonde turned to Chloe with a worried look.

"How did it go?" Asked the worried blonde.

Chloe snorted. "I got expelled."

The blonde remained silent for a few moments, and her expression soon became one of sadness.

"I'm sorry" It was all she could say.

"Nah, you have nothing to apologize for, Rachel" Chloe said. A small playful smile appeared on Chloe's face. "I think Wells was waiting for the time to say those words. I really didn't like that dude."

Rachel couldn't help but show a small smile of her own. She quickly reached into the backpack that lay on the side and took out a small dark blue box and offered it to Chloe. The blonde strawberry looked confused at her companion, who gave a little laugh because of her friend's confusion.

"Happy birthday, Chloe" Rachel said with a small smile.

Chloe smiled and grabbed the small box in her hands. She opened the small gift to see what it contained.

A small key chain of a robot panda was inside the small box.

Chloe showed a toothy smile and shook her head before looking at her friend.

"What the fuck, buddy?" Half laughed Chloe.

Rachel laughed with her and pushed Chloe playfully.

"I saw that little key chain when I went through a store in one of the shopping centers that they recently opened in the town" Rachel explained with a smile. "I thought I'd hit you, Price, and so you have something to decorate the keys to that truck that you found in the junkyard when you finished repairing it."

Chloe couldn't help but feel somewhat moved and grateful for Rachel's gift, so she gave her friend a quick hug in thanks.

"Thanks, Rach. I really appreciate it" Chloe said with a smile after parting from the hug.

"It's nothing, Chlo. Happy birthday" Rachel smiled at Chloe. "Shall we see you in the junkyard in a while to celebrate your release from prison?" She teased.

"Hella yes!"

* * *

After the meeting with Rachel in Blackwell, Chloe walked home to prepare before going to the junkyard to meet Rachel.

As soon as she arrived, the blonde strawberry closed the front door with her foot and went straight to her room to look for some clothes before going to take a shower. When Chloe entered her room and went to her computer desk to leave the keychain that Rachel had given her, she noticed something on the table that surprised her.

There was a box almost the same size as the computer. The box was wrapped in red wrapping paper and had on it a light blue bow with a purple border. A small note that was next to the box said:

** Happy birthday number 17, Chloe <3 **

Chloe looked at the box strangely after having read the note. She wondered who could have given her such a gift. The blonde quickly discarded Joyce and David, and the only other option available had already given her a gift some time ago, plus she probably would not have tried so hard in the presentation.

After reflecting for a while, Chloe decided to open the gift, being strangely careful to open it. Inside the gift was a dark blue skullcap, along with another note.

**I thought you would like the color.  Also, it would look good on you. I hope you like it :)**

Chloe noticed sooner than later that both notes had the signature of a dog's leg. Or maybe a wolf? Chloe didn't know how to say it with certainty. But what she did know (and at the same time it scared her a little) was that the skullcap really liked her.

From that day on, Chloe wore that skullcap all the time.

* * *

**October 20, 2013**

Chloe was sitting on the roof of the cabin of an old ship in the junkyard, admiring the forest in the mountains from afar. The sunset made the sky pink and the clouds were orange, making the view even more beautiful.

The bluenette had spent most of the day with Rachel. Both girls spent their time doing stupidities and crazy things. At one point, the girls climbed into a train car and Chloe almost fell when she climbed and almost killed herself when she got off.

The punk promised never to approach a train in what was left of life.

Chloe and Rachel had to leave their time together around noon because the blonde had to finish a homework she had left for later and had to turn in the next day. At least the bluenette wouldn't have to worry about Rachel being in the junkyard at dusk, since that homework would take her the rest of the day.

"I think it's enough appreciation for a day" Chloe said as she got off the boat.

As soon as she put one foot on the ground and walked a few steps, a big brown wolf pounced on her, throwing her to the ground. Several excited licks on her face made Chloe laugh audibly.

"Ok, Max, I understand, I'm also happy to see you!" Chloe yelled, laughing. "You look like a fucking dog" She added as a belated occurrence as she tried to playfully remove Max's muzzle from her face.

Max moved away enough from Chloe for the girl to get up from the floor, but still remained close to the punk. When Chloe was able to stand on her two feet, she wiped her face hastily, but a big smile remained on her face all the time.

"Ok, Super Max" Chloe said as she looked Max in the eyes. The wolf's expression told the bluenette that Max was as happy as she was. "I didn't know you were that daring. If you want to eat me, first invite me to a date" joked Chloe trying to hold her laughter.

Max gave Chloe a playful shove, almost throwing the girl back to the floor. That made Chloe laugh lightly, approaching Max to caress her head with both hands. The wolf leaned on the girl's touch, closing her eyes to enjoy the sensation better.

"Shit, your fur is very soft. I'm sure I could fall asleep on you if you stay in this form" Chloe joked slightly.

Actually, Chloe was pretty sure she could do what she said.

Max slowly pulled away from Chloe's touch and circled the girl. The wolf lay on the ground like a sphinx, looking expectantly at Chloe.

"What do you have in mind, Max?"

Max nodded to her back. Chloe thought she understood the message, but she needed to be sure.

"Do you want me... to get on?" Chloe asked timidly.

The she-wolf nodded, waiting for Chloe to do as she was told.

"All right. As you say, Maxi-pad."

Max let out a low growl at the nickname Chloe used, the brunette never liked that nickname. Chloe chuckled at Max's reaction as she sat awkwardly astride the wolf's back.

The bluenette rested her hands on Max's back to support herself better and felt something scratchy under the fur, but it didn't matter so much at that moment. Max got up slowly, looking over her shoulder at Chloe to make sure the girl was okay.

"I'm fine, Max" Chloe comforted her, giving the wolf a little smile. "Guide the way."

Max nodded in response and turned to the part of the nearest forest, beginning to walk in that direction.

* * *

Max was walking for about 15 minutes through the forest, with Chloe already settled where she was. The bluenette wondered where the brunette was taking her. Knowing her, it must be important. Max didn't do anything without a reason, and Chloe knew it, she knew Max too well.

"Where are you taking me, Super Max?"

The wolf didn't respond, just kept walking calmly through the forest.

"It's okay, I understand, you're not going to tell me."

Max nodded in response. Chloe laughed lightly.

After a few more minutes, Max stopped in front of a large tree, telling Chloe to get out of it. When Chloe touched the floor, she had to stretch her legs a little, something that Max laughed inwardly.

"Good" Chloe said as she got up and looked at the big tree for the first time. "Why did you... bring me...?"

Chloe stopped her speech when she realized for herself why Max had taken her there.

On the top of the tree there was a fort made of wood.

The old tree fort that Max and Chloe made when they were younger.

"No way..." Chloe murmured as she got closer to the tree and inspected the fort with her eyes.

It seemed as if they had been restoring the fort over time. Some wooden boards seemed to have been replaced by new ones, others seemed to have been repaired. There were also some decorations on the outside of the fort, plus it was cleaner than Chloe remembered.

Chloe's thoughts were interrupted when Max gave her a small push on the back, apparently telling Chloe to climb the fort up the ladder made of wooden boards stuck to the trunk.

The bluenette looked at the brunette for a few moments before turning to the tree and starting up the stairs. Max walked around the tree looking for something. When she found him, she grabbed him with her jaws and took him away while hiding behind some bushes.

Chloe reached the top of the tree, where the fort was, and climbed onto the wooden floor, entering the fort through the wooden frame that served as an entrance and exit.

Chloe's jaw practically fell to the floor.

The interior of the fort was completely decorated; there were several photos stuck on the walls, the only window (which was actually just the window frame) had curtains that decorated it and there were some seat puffs in a corner along with a small wooden table to accompany it. The trunk of the tree passed through the center of the fort, came out from the floor and passed through the roof, giving a somewhat extravagant touch to the place.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

Chloe looked over her shoulder to see Max climbing into the fort. The brunette wore a simple pink sleeveless shirt and short blue jeans that reached up to before the knee. Again, Max was barefoot. Her long hair was a bit messy, but for Chloe it still looked cute, even beautiful. Max showed a small smile all the time.

"Yes, it is" Chloe replied as she looked around the fort again. "You did all this?"

Max gave a small giggle. "Who else?"

Chloe just smiled as she continued to inspect the place. Meanwhile, Max walked next to the punk and lay down on one of the puff seats.

"Go ahead, you can check the place. After all, we are both owners" joked Max.

Chloe immediately approached one of the walls, examining the photos that were attached to her. She immediately noticed a special photo; in it appeared a young blonde girl and a brunette girl, both disguised as pirates. Both girls had a smile on their faces.

"Yes, I kept it" Max said softly, responding to Chloe's internal doubts. "That picture is very precious to me, it always reminded me of you every time I came here."

Chloe ran her fingertips lightly over the photo.

"Five years and you're still Max Caulfield" Chloe's tone of voice was nostalgic.

Both girls smiled and stayed in comfortable silence for a while. Chloe looked like a little boy in a candy store, because she was examining the fort more thoroughly, surprised by all the modifications and repairs that Max had made. The brunette watched from her seat puff entertained the bluenette.

A while later, Max got up from her seat and left the fort, sitting on the edge of the wooden floor outside. The brunette's legs hung from the edge, and the view from the fort allowed her to observe the sky and the treetops. The fort was built on a really tall tree.

When Chloe finished her tour of the reformed fort, she joined Max, sitting in the same way as the brunette. The brunette watched with a small smile the sky, which was darkening little by little; soon it would be night. Chloe, on the other hand, was watching Max.

There was nothing more interesting than Max at the time, or so the punk thought.

"I'm glad I finally talked to you yesterday" Max said softly.

"Me too" Chloe replied with the same gentleness.

The girls went back into comfortable silence, furtive glances mutually from time to time.

"Why did you disappear so suddenly, Max?" That question had been hanging in Chloe's mind for a long time.

The brunette's smile disappeared and she let out a small sigh. "A lot of things have happened since I left, Chloe. It all started when my parents died, and everything went downhill from there."

Chloe looked at Max, watching the girl bring her knees to her chest and hug her legs. The punk instinctively put one arm around Max's shoulders, barely noticing the numerous scars the brunette had around her shoulders, but now was not the time to worry about that.

"I'm here, Max. Tell me everything" The soft tone of voice that Chloe used at that time had also been used only for Max when they were younger.

Max leaned on Chloe's touch and laid her head between her knees, looking at the night sky that was forming.

"When I told you that my parents were attacked, that really was a euphemism and also the biggest underestimation of life."

Chloe just kept quiet, letting Max continue. The brunette pulled her head from between her knees and stared at Chloe. There was a deep sadness in those blue eyes of the younger girl.

"They were hunted."

* * *

**October 23, 2008**

During the night, a 13-year-old Max Caulfield entered her home accompanied by her parents, Ryan and Vanessa Caulfield. It had been only a week since Max's parents had revealed a great family secret and that still made her nervous.

Her parents were werewolves, and Max would soon undergo her first transformation.

At first, Max thought it was a bad joke, but Ryan and Vanessa soon showed her evidence for her to believe them. When her parents told her about her next transformation, Max was somewhat distressed and scared, worried about what might happen, but her parents soon calmed her down by telling her that they would be there for her when the time came.

When the door closed, Max ran up the stairs, going directly to her room. Her father watched her from the entrance before turning to his wife.

"Do you think she's excited or scared?" Ryan asked Vanessa with a small smile.

The man really was sturdy, with a big lumberjack beard and the same style clothes. His wife, on the other hand, was slender and somewhat more sophisticated.

"I would bet on both options" replied Vanessa with her own smile.

The couple walked to the living room, with Vanessa settling down on the three-seater sofa while Ryan searched the cabinets around the TV for a movie that the whole family would like. When he found the right one, the man instructed his wife to go and call Max, earning a moan of false frustration from the woman.

Vanessa got up from the couch with a smile while Ryan prepared the movie. The woman walked to the foot of the stairs, stopping to call her daughter.

"Max! Come on, get down here! We'll see a movie!" The mother cheerfully called.

She didn't receive an answer.

That made her smile fall.

"Max?"

Silence.

Vanessa was worried. The transformation had already begun? If so, she should be there for Max, just as she and Ryan had promised.

So Vanessa quickly climbed the stairs and went to her daughter's room, slamming the door open. As soon as she looked inside, her eyes widened with surprise and fear.

What she found wasn't what she expected at all.

Max was lying on the floor, bound hand and foot and with a bandage tied around her mouth to keep her from screaming. Tears fell down her face, and the girl cried even more when she saw her mother standing in the doorway.

A hooded woman was behind Max, aiming a small crossbow loaded at the girl's head.

"Don't dare y-"

Vanessa's threat was interrupted when an arrow hit her back, almost causing her to fall. She quickly looked over her shoulder, growling and showing her fangs to whoever had hurt her. Vanessa spotted a hooded man who was distracted as he reloaded his crossbow, apparently a rookie.

When the man finished reloading his weapon, he didn't have time to react when a great wolf, Vanessa, pounced on him, driving her jaws hard into his neck. Blood sizzled in all directions as Vanessa fiercely shook the man's neck until it was almost decapitated. When the she-wolf made sure the man was dead, she released him and turned back to her daughter's room, growling.

It was a bad decision, because an arrow immediately stuck in one of her eyes, making her moan in pain as she tried desperately to pull the arrow out. Apparently, the hooded woman had been waiting for Vanessa to turn to shoot her.

Max cried even more, leaving choked screams as she tried futilely to free herself from the bonds.

The woman unsheathed a long dagger as she walked confidently toward the desperate Vanessa. When they were at a close distance, the hooded woman charged Vanessa, sticking the dagger into one part of her stomach, followed by her neck. Vanessa couldn't do anything to avoid those deadly attacks, causing her to collapse on the ground.

The woman, satisfied with her work, sheathed the dagger and returned to Max's room. She grabbed the weeping girl, who tried weakly to get rid of the grip, and carried her over the shoulder and then walk towards the stairs. The woman stopped abruptly when she felt a grip on her right ankle. She looked over her shoulder and saw that a wound Vanessa had crawled towards her and had her jaws around her ankle, growling slightly.

The hooded woman didn't hesitate for a second to draw her dagger and stick it into the wolf's good eye, causing the animal to release it immediately. The woman pulled the dagger out of the she-wolf and went downstairs, still carrying Max with her.

With all the injuries she had, Vanessa would soon be bled to death.

Max sobbed silently, she wasn't even trying to break free, she just let herself be carried away by the woman, who came to the living room and the first thing that caught her attention was the lifeless body of another wolf. Several arrows were nailed along Ryan's body, most were on the back and sides of the corpse, but one stood out from the others because it was stuck in the head.

"I see you did well" said a male voice.

The woman didn't even need to turn around to know who was behind her.

"Yes. It was easier than I thought. That wolf didn't fight much, it was boring."

"I'm sorry it was like that. What happened to the new recruit?"

"That idiot died" The woman huffed as she turned around and left Max on the floor in front of the man.

"What a shame" The man said without emotion in his voice. "But I'm glad you captured the girl."

The man bent down in front of Max and wiped his tears gently. The poor girl, on the other hand, shuddered at the touch and looked away.

"It's beautiful."

The woman grimaced at the man's comment. That really seemed strange to her.

"What are you going to do with her? We're supposed to hunt these beasts, nothing more."

"Oh, I have many plans for this little puppy" The man stood up and walked to the front door. "I will send someone to clean up the whole mess. Take her to the hideout. I'll take care of her myself" He said as he went out the door and closed it behind him.

The woman narrowed her eyes suspiciously and then, with a gentle glance, observed the young woman on the floor. The poor thing was still crying and sobbing silently, and the woman was sure that this girl would have a trauma from everything she had seen tonight.

Then she made a decision that she didn't know if she would regret.

But she did know that it would bring serious consequences.

So the woman bent down and approached Max, freeing her from the bonds and the bandage around her mouth. As soon as Max was released, she curled up, holding her head while crying and screaming. That made the woman look at her with regret.

"I'm sorry" It was all the woman could say at that moment.

The woman sat up and looked worriedly at the girl. She couldn't do anything for Max anymore, she could only warn her.

"Listen" The woman began to say softly. "It is better that you flee to the woods, soon you will transform and don't want a neighborhood to see a giant wolf out there. Run away, stay in the woods all the time and don't let any human see you" The woman paused. "I don't expect you to forgive me for what I did tonight, but I want you to know that I'm really sorry. My leader never has good intentions and I don't know what he plans to do to you, but it's not good, so do what I told you... Run away."

That was the last thing the woman said before leaving the place.

Max then escaped, fled to the forest and underwent her first transformation. It was painful, as she would describe it.

From that day, Max didn't see that man or woman again. And she's still wondering why the woman took pity on her even after killing her parents.

* * *

**October 20, 2013**

Max cried in silence as she hid her face between her knees and hugged her legs. The bluenette caressed the brunette's back comfortably, and Chloe had her own tears running down her cheeks; Ryan and Vanessa had been like a seconds parents to her, and hearing from Max how her parents died It was a low blow for Chloe.

"I miss them so much" Max whispered weakly, her voice muffled by her knees.

Chloe gently pulled Max into a hug. The brunette rested her head on the hollow of the bluenette's neck and returned the hug, clinging to Chloe as if she didn't want to let her go.

"I'm so sorry, Max" Chloe tried to comfort the brunette.

"You don't have to apologize, Chloe, you didn't do anything wrong" Max let out a sigh, unintentionally tickling Chloe. "I was the one who disappeared from your life... You should hate me."

"I could never hate you even if I tried" Chloe hugged Max more tightly, who returned the hug with the same intensity.

Both girls stayed like that for a while, unwilling to separate from each other and comfort each other. At one point, Max nuzzled Chloe's neck with her nose, and punk returned her fondness to caressing one side of the brunette's head with her cheek.

"I'm so happy to have you back, Chlo... I love you."

"I love you too, Max... I'm glad you came back."

They shared a comfortable silence for a while longer. If it were for them, both girls would stay like that for the rest of their lives.

But the reverie was interrupted when a blast of cold hit them, making Chloe shudder a little.

"We should go back" Max said softly as she parted slightly from Chloe so she could see her eyes. "It's already night and it gets really cold here in the forest."

"Aww, can't we stay here for a while longer?" Chloe asked with her characteristic dog face to try to lighten the mood, making Max laugh a little.

"You have to go home, Chloe. What will Joyce say?"

"Joyce doesn't give a shit if I arrive home at night or not. I've already done it several times "said the bluenette with a smile.

Max raised a playful brow as she smiled. "A rebellious Chloe, huh? I see."

Max moved cautiously away from Chloe as she stood up, offering a hand to the punk to help her up. Chloe happily accepted Max's help while the brunette helped her. When both girls were facing each other, Chloe realized how Max had grown up; the younger girl was almost as tall as the bluenette.

"Fuck. You've grown hella lot, Maximus."

"Yeah, I know" laughed Max. "Now, if you're not going to go home and nothing I say will make you do it, I think you could sleep here. We could make a sleepover, like in the old days. "

"I'd rather sleep here than at home with step-douche hanging around, so it's perfect for me" Chloe said with a smile.

"Step-douche?" Asked Max amused.

"I'll tell you later" laughed Chloe.

"It's okay."

Max separated from Chloe and entered the tree fort, stopping at the center, with her back to Chloe. The brunette looked over her shoulder at Chloe with a playful smile.

"I need to change before I go to sleep, I hope it doesn't bother you" said Max.

Then the brunette began to take off her sleeveless shirt, surprising Chloe and making her blush a little. Being shirtless, the scars on Max's back and shoulders were now visible and caught Chloe's attention for a moment before two pairs of blue eyes met.

"Do you see something you like?" Max asked with a smile, sounding almost seductive.

_Fuck, she's hot.  And now it's very daring... What happened to the shy nerd and hipster girl?_

Chloe blinked a couple of times, emerging from her reverie and blushing even more.

"Uh, n-nothing, you just change quietly"  _And now you stutter? Really, Price?_

Chloe turned around quickly, listening to a small laugh coming from Max.

About a minute later, Chloe felt a nose touching her left hand. The punk looked down with a smile; Max was looking for attention. Chloe gave it to her without problems, caressing Max's head gently.

"Let me guess. Now you sleep in that form" It was more an affirmation than a question.

The wolf nodded and then turned back to the fort, going to one of the corners of the place and lying there, looking at Chloe expectantly.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming" Chloe said with a smile as she approached Max and sat next to her. "Can I, uh, lie down on you?" The punk asked timidly.  _That sounded better in my head. Ugh._

Max nodded and Chloe could swear she was smiling.

Moving away from those thoughts for the moment, Chloe laid her head and her back on Max's back, looking up at the ceiling. The wolf put her tail to the bluenette in an attempt to cover her from the cold, but her brown fur was already warm enough. Chloe smiled and settled back a bit, closing her eyes.

"Night, Max."

Max smiled to herself and closed her eyes.

_Night, Chloe._

* * *

Not far away, hidden among the bushes, a large black wolf with green eyes watched the entire scene between Max and Chloe.

When the girls entered the fort and didn't go out again, the wolf lay down on the floor like a sphinx and continued to observe the tree's fort from its position.

The black wolf made sure to watch the fort the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally we know what happened to Max's parents, and there is more to discover :)
> 
> Also, little by little I will be adding some tags, depending on how the story is flowing. Just so you know.
> 
> Thank you for the support you have been giving this story, I really appreciate it.


	6. You again?

** October 21, 2013 **

The morning song of the birds and the rays of sunlight that came through the window woke Chloe. The punk kept her eyes closed, trying to go back to sleep, but it was useless; once she woke up, she didn't go back to sleep.

But Chloe's thoughts drifted aside because of the feel of fingers caressing her hair gently. Chloe would lie if she said that was not a good feeling. On the contrary, it was the best feeling she had ever felt (probably), and she didn't want him to stop.

"Mmm, don't stop" muttered a sleepy Chloe.

A giggle could be heard practically on the head of the bluenette.

"Good morning, sleeper" said Max.

Chloe rolled to the side and opened her eyes, finding a freckled face and blue eyes. Apparently, Chloe was lying in Max's lap... and if it were for her, she would stay there for the rest of her life. Max's hair fell from her shoulders and was so long that he was inches from the face of the bluenette.

The brunette smiled sweetly at Chloe, and the punk returned a sleepy smile. Chloe raised a hand and ran her fingers lazily through the brown strands of Max's hair.

"Why did you return to your human form? I miss the soft fur, it was a good pillow" joked Chloe. "Besides that it was also warm."

Max raised an eyebrow and her smile became playful.

"Oh, and am I not warm in this way?"

_Oh, you're hot_ , Chloe thought back.

"Yes you are, but you are more comfortable as a wolf" Chloe tried not to laugh.

Max laughed audibly and Chloe soon joined her. Both girls missed these moments between them where they were only two and everything else did not matter.

When the laughter subsided, Max looked at Chloe with a smile as she continued to stroke the bluenette's hair.

"Responding to your previous question, I went back to this form to be able to talk to you. It must be tedious to talk to an animal that can't answer you with words "laughed Max.

"Yes, a little" Chloe agreed. "Even though I still like both forms; human and wolf. Your coat really was comfortable."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not a pillow, Chloe" The bluenette could tell that Max was trying to hold back the laughter. "Also, I have to go to breakfast."

"Then let's go to Two Whales" Chloe said innocently, apparently without taking into account Max's current situation.

Max smiled sadly at Chloe as she played with the blue strands under the punk skullcap.

"You have no idea how much I would like to do that, but I can't get close to the people, Chlo. I can't let anyone see me, remember?"

"Oh" Max could feel a hint of sadness in that single syllable. "Well, if you can't go to town to eat, where the hell do you get the food?"

Max looked at Chloe inquisitively and tapped the punk on the forehead with her knuckles, earning a small "Ouch!" from the bluenette.

"Use that brain, Price" Max said as Chloe rubbed her forehead with one hand due to the small blow that the brunette had given her. "Where do you think predators take their food?"

Chloe thought about Max's words and the conclusion came quickly. Chloe mentally kicked herself for asking something so stupid before.

"It's true. You hunt."

"That's right."

"And, um, do you like doing that?" Chloe asked timidly.

Max just shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's not nice, but there's no other" replied Max. "After all, I'm practically an animal, it's part of who I am."

"I see..."

Max smiled reassuringly at Chloe. Without warning, the brunette took off the punk skullcap and shook it over Chloe's head, causing the older girl to look at Max confused.

"Don't worry about me, Chloe, after years of living like a wolf, you end up getting used to it. Anyway, to change the subject, remember this?" Max shook Chloe's skullcap a little to make herself understood.

"Remember that? It's just my skullcap" replied Chloe still confused.

"God, you're really bad today" laughed Max. "Tell me. How did you get it?"

"Uh, they gave it to me."

"And who did it?" Max had a playful smile now.

When Chloe observed Max's expression, she understood what the brunette was implying. Chloe smiled broadly and shook her head.

"Damn you, Caulfield" Chloe said as she sat and watched Max with the smile still on her face. "Everything now makes sense. I should have imagined that only you would put an emoji on a note, besides that signature of a dog or wolf leg or whatever."

Max playfully pushed Chloe's shoulder, throwing the skullcap into the punk's face just as she had done that night at the lighthouse.

"It was a wolf, and emojis are fun" replied Max smiling.

"No, they're crap, that's what they are" Chloe said as she put on her skullcap, still smiling.

"Whatever" Max laughed, calming down a bit before speaking. "But seriously, we should go. I'll take you back to the junkyard to pick up your truck."

Chloe sighed, she wanted to spend more time with Max, but she knew that the brunette's lifestyle did not leave her much free time.

"All right. But we have to meet again. I still want some answers."

"Like what, for example?"

"Hmm, how did you make that scar on the bridge of your nose?"

Max laughed without encouragement and shook her head. "That's easy. It was a fight."

"That's easy to guess, but I still want to know the details, and I'd even like to know what happened during those five ye- Woah!"

Chloe's sentence was interrupted when a pair of arms lifted her off the ground; Max was carrying her on her back, holding Chloe's thighs with her arms. The punk instinctively encircled the brunette's neck to keep from falling.

"I promise you'll have all the answers you want, Chlo" Max said smiling as she looked over her shoulder at a surprised Chloe, "but this is not the right time or place for it. And, being honest, I'm getting so hungry now that I could devour a horse."

_ How about you devour me instead? _ , thought Chloe with a smile of internal shit and wondering what the fuck she was thinking about.

"Now" Max said as she turned her gaze to the door frame of the fort, "hold well."

Chloe tightened her grip on Max. She was fearful and at the same time curious about what the brunette was planning to do.

Without warning, Max practically jumped out of the fort, with Chloe letting out a yell of surprise at the brunette's action. Max landed safely on the ground, knees bent to cushion the fall. Chloe gasped in amazement and excitement.

"Again, again!" Chloe shouted excitedly and with a big smile on her face.

Max laughed at the reaction of the punk; the bluenette looked like a little kid in an amusement park, excited to get on the roller coaster.

"I'll give you a little walk to the junkyard, Miss Price. Enjoy the ride, it's free" joked Max, starting to walk towards the junkyard with Chloe on her back.

* * *

After about 20 minutes of walking, Max and Chloe arrived at the junkyard. Chloe was reluctant to get off Max's back, but when the brunette threatened to get on the moving train while carrying the bluenette with her, Chloe immediately got off Max, moving and nervously as she headed to her truck, followed closely by Max.

"I didn't know you were afraid of trains" Max joked as she watched Chloe climb into the truck and sit in the driver's seat.

"When you spend enough time with Rachel Amber, everything can happen. That girl made me get on and off a moving train, almost killing me in the process, and since that day I'm afraid of trains" Chloe said as she closed the driver's side door and watched Max through the window opening.

"Amber? That name sounds familiar to me."

"Her fucking father is the District Attorney. Maybe that's why."

Max shrugged. "Maybe."

"Anyway" Chloe said, changing the subject. "When can we meet again? Give me a schedule, Mad Max."

Max laughed lightly. "The sunrises and nightfalls are the only hours when I could meet you quietly, if that's what you want to know."

"Yes, thanks for sharing your availability schedule" Chloe said with a smile. "So, can we see each other today at nightfall?" The hopeful punk asked.

"Of course, Chlo" Max said smiling. "Just say where."

"Here, the junkyard" Chloe said it almost instantaneously, making Max laugh.

"Well, I'll be waiting for you" said the brunette with a smile.

"Great."

Chloe put the truck keys in the ignition, turned them and the engine roared. The punk was ready to leave until the call of the brunette stopped her.

"Ah. Chloe, one thing" called Max.

Chloe looked out the window at Max.

"Yes? What is it?"

Max went to the window of the truck where Chloe was and put her hands on the door, looking at the bluenette.

"I promised you I would give you all the answers you wanted, and I plan to keep that promise" Max paused. "Tonight, when we see each other, I'll introduce you to someone and then you can ask all the questions you want; all of them will be answered" The brunette smiled melancholy in the last sentence.

Chloe watched Max for several seconds, reflecting on the words that had come out of the brunette's mouth. Chloe wanted answers, yes, but she also wanted to make up for lost time with her best friend. But Max looked so different, both physically and emotionally; Chloe no longer seemed a shy and reserved girl, but quite the opposite. That, combined with her recent daring behavior, made many questions flooded Chloe's mind several times.

The main one of them all was: What had happened to Max during that span of 5 years?

But if the brunette promised to answer all her questions, the bluenette would not waste that opportunity.

So Chloe smiled sweetly at Max before speaking.

"It's okay. See you at nightfall, Super Max."

After that simple prayer, Chloe diverted her attention to the road and started the truck. Max stood in her place, smiling, as she watched Chloe walk away from the junkyard.

At one point, Max smiled broadly, about to shed some tears.

"See you later, Chlo" the brunette whispered before heading into the woods.

* * *

Chloe was driving for several minutes before her cell phone rang. When Chloe checked, she saw that it was Rachel.

** Rachel: Hey, lazybones, are you awake? **

** Chloe: hey, idiot, yes i am **

** Chloe: lately you seem more early riser than usual **

** Rachel: It says the girl who usually sleeps until noon :P **

**Rachel: Also, I have school today.  Wich is your excuse?**

** Chloe: ok, first, NO EMOJI **

** Chloe: second, let's say i'm setting goals **

** Chloe: how to get up early for once in my life **

** Rachel: It doesn't sound much like Chloe Price **

** Chloe: whatever **

** Chloe: what did you want? **

**Rachel: Could you come find me?  :3**

** Chloe: fuck with the emojis, rach **

** Chloe: that's why i think i will leave you there quiet in your house **

**Chloe: the school bus passes near there.  maybe you can take it**

**Rachel: Come on, Chlo.  Please?**

** Rachel: Today I don't want to walk and the bus is always full of weird people **

** Rachel: We can go to Two Whales before you take me to Blackwell, I'll even buy you breakfast **

** Chloe: *sigh* fine **

** Chloe: i'll only do it for free breakfast **

** Chloe: not because of the kindness of my heart **

** Rachel: Your stomach is bigger than your heart **

**Rachel: But thanks!  :D**

** Chloe: i'm starting to retract what i said **

**Rachel: I'm sorry, I'm sorry!  Don't leave me here!**

Chloe didn't answer that last message, she just laughed at how dramatic Rachel might be sometimes as she turned off the road to the Amber house.

* * *

The truck came to a stop with a screech of tires in front of the Amber house and Chloe honked her horn to get Rachel's attention. Sooner than later, the long-haired blonde girl poked her head through the double entrance door of the house and, when she spotted the truck, she smiled widely and returned inside the house, leaving shortly after carrying a backpack on her back and closing the door behind her before running out to the passenger seat of the truck.

"Thank God! I thought you would leave me here!" Rachel exclaimed cheerfully when she opened the passenger side door.

"I could be a total bitch sometimes, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity for a free breakfast" Chloe said with a satisfied smile as Rachel climbed into the truck and closed the door behind her.

"You're such a good friend" Rachel said sarcastically.

"I know" Chloe kept her smile as she diverted her attention to the road and started driving.

"So" Rachel settled back in her seat so she could see Chloe better, "what have you been doing that requires you to wake up so early in the morning?" She asked with a smile.

Chloe's smile grew smaller as she looked at Rachel out of the corner of her eye. The bluenette knew that she couldn't tell the blonde who she was seeing.

"I've been seeing someone" It was a half truth at least.

"Someone, huh? And who is that someone, hmm?" Rachel asked amused.

"An old friend."

"And to go see that old friend you need to wake up so early?"

"Yep."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but decided not to press the issue further. She knew that if Chloe wanted to keep the information that she was given vague, pressing her would not succeed but rather the opposite; she would stop talking about it.

"It's okay" Rachel wasn't entirely convinced, "but at some point you have to introduce me to that someone. Any friend of yours, is my friend."

"I... I'm not sure you can meet her right now" Chloe said hesitantly.

"Her? So it's a girl, huh?" The fun turned to Rachel. "At least it's something new. But still I want to meet her. If you keep so much mystery about her, she must be someone interesting."

_Oh, you have no idea, Rachel_ , Chloe thought.

"Listen, Rach" Chloe said with a sigh, "now is not a good time for you both to meet."

"Why?" Rachel had settled into her seat, looking forward.

"She... is going through various things right now."

"And even then she can see you" The blonde looked a bit annoyed.

"That's different. It was she who came to me, she did it so suddenly" Chloe's grip on the steering wheel tensed until her knuckles turned white. "Goddammit, I... I thought I would never see her again, that she might be dead, but one day she shows up again and now she's..." Chloe paused, letting out a sigh. "She is so different. I can still see some of her old self in her, but still..." Chloe fell silent, leaving the sentence unfulfilled.

Rachel was puzzled by Chloe's words. The blonde watched the bluenette's distant gaze and noticed that she was almost on the verge of tears, and that made Rachel reflect a little on what Chloe had told her.

The conclusion hit her hard, causing Rachel's eyes to open with surprise.

"That girl... is Max?" Rachel said slowly.

Chloe just kept looking toward the road, nodding in response to Rachel's question.

"Shit..." It was all the blonde could say.

"That's why now is not a good time for you two to meet each other" Chloe said softly, loud enough for Rachel to hear her. "I still have to know what happened to her during those five years, I still need answers, and she doesn't show much willingness to talk to other humans besides me either."

"Uh, humans?"

Chloe realized too late what she said, mentally kicking herself for it.

"Sorry, you know I say stupid things when I get sentimental" Chloe tried to disguise.

"Huh, that's true" Rachel apparently swallowed the farce. "Anyway, I'm sorry to have asked about that mysterious friend" The blonde really seemed sincere with her words. "I never would have imagined it was Max, considering everything you've told me about her during these years."

"Believe me, I didn't expect it either."

Rachel smiled reassuringly at Chloe even though the bluenette probably didn't see her.

"Don't worry, Chloe, I'm sure Max has a reason to show up now."

"I hope so... "

"Well, leaving sentimentality behind, are we going to Two Whales or not?" Rachel tried to change the subject.

"Fuck, yes! Like I said, I wouldn't waste the opportunity of a free breakfast" Chloe's mood was returning little by little.

Rachel laughed at Chloe's enthusiasm for food, and the rest of the way to Two Whales continued in comfortable silence, with both girls lost in their thoughts about Max.

* * *

After Chloe and Rachel had breakfast in Two Whales (with the occasional visit of Joyce to the post where they were), the punk took the blonde to Blackwell, where both girls said goodbye and promised to talk later that day, although Chloe made it clear to Rachel that at night she was going to be somewhat busy, which surprised her little to the blonde.

After leaving Rachel at Blackwell, Chloe drove home, glad that neither Joyce nor David were home today; Joyce due to her full shift in Two Whales and David due to his position as security chief of Blackwell, which forced him to be practically all the time in the Academy.

As soon as she crossed the front door of the house, Chloe climbed the stairs to her room and entered it, finding the worst mess that the bluenette's room could have had. The papers with sketches were scattered everywhere; on the floor, on the bed, on the computer desk, even some were tucked under the sliding door of the closet.

"Shit, I really have to clean this place" Chloe murmured. "Or draw less."

As Chloe began to collect the sketches and then order them properly, she noticed that most of them were drawings about the brown wolf that ended up being Max. Chloe wondered when she had decided to draw that animal so much.

"Practically since I met her for the third time... I think" Chloe said out loud, answering herself.

When finally the bluenette finished collecting the piles of sketches and sorting them on her computer desk, she quickly looked for a blank sheet of paper so she could start drawing and have something to do while she waited for the evening to come.

After a few hours of drawing, Chloe was going to start a new drawing when she realized that she was going to use the last sheet of paper she had left. She made a mental note to then tell her mother that they needed more sheets of paper, but then she concentrated on the blank canvas in front of her. She wondered what she could draw, and an idea soon came to her head.

Chloe would make an effort to make that next drawing perfect.

* * *

The truck stopped in front of the entrance to the scrap yard, raising a bit of dirt under braking. Chloe opened the driver 's side door and got out of the truck, closing the door behind her as she walked to the junkyard.

Nightfall was making itself felt, with the sky darkening and the cold beginning to rise. That's why Chloe decided to wear her leather jacket without sleeves rolled up and a short sleeved shirt of a dull red color. A symbol of an 'A' circulated with a youthful and avant-garde style of dark red was stamped on the front of the shirt. Gray jeans and somewhat worn combat boots accompanied the set of clothes.

Chloe walked to the ship she had climbed the previous day, surprised when she saw a figure sitting in the same place she had been yesterday while waiting for Max.

The long brown hair rippled slightly in the breeze, and the sight of the brunette seemed far away. The girl wore only a black sleeveless shirt and a pair of worn blue short jeans.

Chloe stopped a few steps away from the boat when Max turned to her. A smile adorned the girl's freckled face.

"Hey, Chloe" The brunette said softly.

"Hey, Max" replied the bluenette with the same gentleness.

Max got off the boat with a jump, landing next to Chloe. When the brunette got up, she rushed lightly towards the punk to give her a bear hug that the bluenette was happy to give back.

"Why so loving all of a sudden?" Chloe joked with a smile as both girls separated.

"It's part of the werewolf package" laughed Max. "We are more affectionate with those we love, like a real wolf with his pack."

"Oh, I can say that" Chloe's smile widened. "You're too loving when you're in your other form, plus you're also looking for a lot of attention."

Max shrugged innocently with a small smile. "I can't help it."

"Nah, I don't care. If I'm honest... I think I even like it."

Max's smile widened at Chloe's comment, then she moved closer to the bluenette and wrapped an arm around her waist. The punk didn't reject that contact.

"Well, it's good that you like it, because you're going to have to get used to it if you want to spend more time with me" Max said as she began to guide Chloe into the forest.

"No problem" Chloe smiled as she let herself be guided by Max.

* * *

Max was leading Chloe through the woods for a long time. At a certain moment, both girls held hands. The brunette refused to let punk go; being in the woods late at night was dangerous unless you knew how to defend, but Max was pretty sure that Chloe couldn't against a bear or some other deputy. Having a werewolf as a bodyguard was the best in this situation.

"How much more is missing?" Chloe complained like a small child.

"We're almost there" Max chuckled at Chloe's childishness.

"But we have walked for hours."

"How exaggerated you are. It's only been about forty-five minutes."

"How are you so sure? You don't even have a stopwatch or something."

"Spending time in the woods without a watch forces you to look for ways to measure time. You would be surprised at how many there are."

"Uff, I don't even want to know. Why don't you take me on your back wherever you take me?"

Max looked over her shoulder with a smile. "I'm not a horse, Chloe."

"You are many things, Max Caulfield, only you have not noticed" laughed Chloe.

During the rest of the way, which lasted about 15 minutes more, the girls spent in comfortable silence. Chloe didn't complain again, and Max was happy with it.

Soon after, Max and Chloe arrived at their destination; a large oak cabin. Chloe was surprised by that place, it was a two-story cabin with a fireplace that, despite its exterior, looked very modern. There were windows on both floors and the smoke was coming out of the chimney, so the punk sensed that someone should be inside the cabin.

That or Max was quite reckless in leaving a fire on without supervision.

"Well. Here we are" Max said as she looked at Chloe.

"Shit. Is this where you live?" Chloe was still examining the cabin with her eyes.

"More or less" Max shrugged as she let go of Chloe's hand. "I spend most of my time here, but the forest is also my home."

Max walked to the front door of the cabin and took the latch, looking over her shoulder at Chloe with a smile.

"Come on. There's someone inside who I want you to meet" Max said, then opened the door.

Chloe followed Max into the cabin, closing the door behind her. The interior of the cabin was cozy, with the floor, walls and ceiling made of wood. In the living room there were two green armchairs facing the fireplace, with a carpet in the middle and a small table over it. There was no kitchen, but surely on the top floor there would be some rooms.

Chloe's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a sniff coming from one of the green armchairs.

"I smell someone new" said a female voice from an armchair.

"And you wanted to meet that someone" Max said next to Chloe.

"Oh. I see."

An arm stretched from the armchair to the small table, leaving a book on it. The woman got up from the chair and walked towards Max and Chloe, stopping a few steps away from them. The woman put a hand on her waist, shifting her weight from one foot to the other and smiling.

The woman was a little taller than Chloe, walked in toples and only wore a black leather jacket with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, along with a pair of tight black jeans. Besides, like Max, she was barefoot.

"Chloe, she's Astrid. Astrid, she's Chloe" Max introduced both women.

"It's good to see you again, Chloe Price."

"Uh, see me again? I must have memory loss, because I don't remember seeing you in my life, and I always remember a beautiful woman when I see her."

Max and the woman laughed at that comment from Chloe, making the bluenette slightly blush.  _Fuck, I should take care of my mouth_ , Chloe thought, kicking herself mentally.

"Actually, Chlo, I think you remember Astrid very well" Max said once the laughter subsided.

Chloe looked back at Astrid from head to toe and then looked at Max with a confused expression on her face. Max sighed and smiled shyly at Chloe before speaking.

"Do you remember a certain black wolf with green eyes?"

Chloe then looked between Max and Astrid several times, and, looking more closely at the woman, Chloe noticed that her hair was jet black and somewhat messy. Her green eyes contrasted with the rest of the black of her clothes and hair.

And that was when Chloe's mind clicked, causing her eyes to open in surprise.

"Don't fuck me."


	7. Reliving the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow the bonus episode of Before the Storm comes out... *Shouts like fangirl*
> 
> Leaving my fanaticism aside, enjoy the chapter.

** October 21, 2013 **

"You?!" Chloe exclaimed, pointing a finger at the woman.

"In the flesh" Astrid was still smiling.

"But..." Chloe was speechless. She shook her head and looked at Max frantically. "Max, what is she doing here?"

"You wanted answers" Max replied as she walked towards Astrid and stopped next to her, still looking at Chloe, "and I promised to give them to you, but I couldn't do it without Astrid."

"But I almost became her dinner that night" Chloe said angrily.

"I really regret that" Astrid kept her smile, but her tone sounded sad. "Back then I didn't know you were friends with Maxi."

Max blushed slightly at the use of that nickname by Astrid and tapped lightly on the woman's shoulder, earning a small laugh from the older one.

Chloe looked at Max strangely. "'Maxi'?"

"So she tells me, she can't help it" Max shrugged.

Astrid laughed and wrapped her arm around Max's shoulders, pulling her into a small hug and laughing.

"So many years and Maxi is still a bit shy."

"I can say that" Chloe crossed her arms with a small smile, a smile that soon disappeared. "Now, leaving the presentations aside, I would really like to know what happens here and why she is here."

Max and Astrid parted slowly, watching Chloe. Then Astrid politely pointed out the armchairs that lay ahead.

"Take a seat, Chloe, so we can talk more quietly" said the woman.

Chloe gave a small snort and walked reluctantly to one of the armchairs, sitting on it. Chloe was grateful for the heat that emanated from the fire in the fireplace; outside it was really cold and the bluenette's jacket did not end up being very helpful at the end.

Astrid soon sat in the free chair, looking at Chloe with a small smile. Chloe looked around for the brunette. When she did not find her, she turned to the woman and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Maxi went to her room to change, she will soon come to meet us."

At that moment, a pair of footsteps resounded on the upper floor and a large brown wolf came down the stairs, heading quickly towards Chloe and Astrid. Max immediately snuggled into Chloe's feet, laying her head on the girl's lap. The punk wasted no time in stroking the wolf's head, smiling weakly as she did so.

"Seriously she should have you very confident."

Astrid's voice caught Chloe's attention, causing the bluenette to look at her.

"Because what you say?"

Astrid kept smiling. "Because the fact that a werewolf allows a human to stroke him like this proves that between the werewolf and the human there is a great bond of trust, maybe even love. And let Maxi look for your love shows that she really loves you."

Chloe was surprised at that revelation and looked down to see Max, who looked back at her and was closer to Chloe.

"Anyway, I'm sure you have many questions" said Astrid.

"Yes" Chloe said as she looked back at Astrid. "What are you doing here with Max? The last time I saw you two together your meeting was not very friendly to say."

"I can tell" laughed Astrid. "But things change, and when I met Maxi thoroughly, it really changed my point of view of her. Now she and I are like sisters, can you believe it?"

"Now that I see it, I believe it. If they had told me before that the black wolf and the brown wolf would make friends, I would have laughed" Chloe smiled, but that smile soon disappeared. "But what happened to Max during those five years? She has been reluctant to tell me."

Max gave a small moan of apology, making Chloe comfort her with more caresses.

"Maxi has her reasons" Astrid's smile also disappeared. "She has been through a lot during these years."

"How do you know?"

Astrid smiled melancholy.

"Because I helped her survive in these forests."

* * *

**April 11, 2010**

The night had fallen in Arcadia Bay. The stars were more visible in the maritime town than in any other city, something that Max loved. That was one of the few things she liked about the place, and probably one of the few reasons why she decided to stay in Arcadia Bay.

The first of all, and the most important, was Chloe.

Although Max could not interact directly with the girl, at least she could watch her and watch her from afar, something she had been doing since her life as a werewolf began. Since her parents died, Max was afraid that those hunters would persecute her other loved ones; that is why she kept an eye on Chloe and Joyce, taking care of them from her stay in the forest.

Max still remembered the events of the previous night; Chloe entering the forest for a stupid bet, waiting several minutes in the same place until a deer appeared and a big black wolf pounced on the animal, changing his attention from the deer to Chloe and almost turning the girl into his dinner until Max decided to face the black wolf.

Max was scared at that moment, but when that wolf decided to leave Chloe alone and take the deer instead, she was glad that the situation did not come to more. Max had sniffed Chloe to memorize her smell and be able to find her more easily, something that would help if she lost sight of Chloe.

Max had to admit that Chloe's scent was characteristic, and she doubted any other girl would.

But the thoughts of the young wolf were interrupted when a pair of footsteps were heard very close to her position. Max turned her head toward the sound, scared of what it might be, but when she sniffed and smelled it, it went from frightened to terrified.

A pair of feet landed very close to Max, and when she looked at that person she could only use two words to describe her: beautiful and dangerous.

"Well, well, so we meet again, brown wolf" said the woman with a smile.

She was wearing an open denim vest, partly showing off her bare chest, and a pair of tight jeans accompanied the ensemble. Her hair black as night and her eyes green as emeralds attracted attention. In addition, she was barefoot.

" _What do you want?_ " Max's weak and timid voice resonated in the woman's mind.

"I just wanted to meet the wolf who prevented me from getting my food."

" _That girl is not food_ " Max said angrily.

"Oh, so you know her?" The woman raised an eyebrow.

Max just let out a small warning grunt. Communicating was not so easy being in her wolf form.

"I'll take that as a yes" The woman received another grunt from Max. "Hey, don't worry, I will not go after that girl."

" _Then, why are you here?_ _ Why did you follow me?_ " Max still sounded angry.

"It intrigued me to see another werewolf in these parts, so I just wanted to know more about you."

" _Another one?_ " Max inclined her head curiously, leaving the anger aside.

That made the woman see Max confused. The woman sniffed Max a little and understanding came quickly, but she had to make sure.

"How old are you, puppy?"

" _Uh, fourteen years._ "

"Hmm, so you only have one year of life as a wolf."

" _Actually... it's almost two years._ _ My birthday has not yet arrived, but two years ago I had my first transformation_ " Max didn't know why she said all that to that woman.

"I see. And where are your parents?" The woman looked around.

That made Max lower her head and throw her ears back, refusing to see the strange woman.

" _They are dead... They were hunted..._ "

The woman looked at Max and her eyes widened at that revelation. Her gaze softened a bit, already beginning to have pity for the young wolf.

"Were they hunted?" The woman said slowly.

Max nodded, still looking at the ground. " _They ambushed them, they were already inside the house... I don't know how my parents couldn't detect unknown odors when we got home._ "

The woman's gaze came up, but that rudeness was not directed at Max.

"Because hunters have ways to hide their smell, so they approach us undetected."

Max finally had the courage to look at the woman, although her ears were still low.

" _How do you know that?_ "

"Because I've already had experience with them" The woman's expression softened and she smiled reassuringly at Max. "But let's put that issue aside, dear. Now I would like to know why you don't return to your human form, so we could talk more comfortably."

Max relaxed visibly and looked away, embarrassed.

" _Uh, actually, I don't know how to get back to my other form_ " Max looked at herself. " _I've been like this since my first transformation._ "

The woman's eyebrows rose in disbelief, but soon the understanding of why Max never returned to her human form came to her.

"I understand why you can't, or rather, why you don't know how to transform yourself" The woman let out a sigh. "Usually, parents teach their puppies how to transform, how to hunt and basically how to live like a werewolf."

" _Oh..._ " There was sadness in the brunette's tone.

"Hey, don't worry, girl. I think I can help you with that" The woman smiled at Max. "By the way, my name is Astrid."

Max raised her ears and looked Astrid in the eyes. The brunette felt she could trust that woman.

" _Max._ "

* * *

**January 20, 2011**

It had been almost a year since Max and Astrid had met, and little by little their relationship was starting to get closer. Since Astrid taught Max how to transform at will (which took Max a long time to learn), both wolves started spending time together, being Astrid as a teacher for Max, teaching her all the basics of being a werewolf.

Max learned hunting tactics, such as where to bite the prey and how to follow a trail, as well as learning to use the environment to hide. Astrid was helping her all the time answering questions about being a werewolf and helping her in everything that was difficult. At one point, Astrid had sneaked into town and got some clothes for Max; most were sleeveless shirts and short jeans. Astrid had explained to Max that it was better not to wear a lot of clothes on in case she needed to transform at some point; the transformation from human to wolf tore apart clothes, so if she needed to transform, there would not be much loss.

Eventually, Max practically memorized the entire forest; she knew about several hiding places that could be used for an emergency, she knew the areas where animals usually hung out (which was good for hunting), and even discovered places that she did not imagine would be in the forests of Arcadia Bay, like that lake in the middle of a clearing deep in the forest, and Max sometimes used it as a way to take a bath, although she also went there with Astrid to hang out with the older wolf.

Astrid even played with Max sometimes to help her get distracted from everything else and at least have a good time. In the end, Max ended up getting used to accepting her life as a werewolf and, to Astrid's surprise, the young wolf spent more time in her wolf form than in her human form.

When their relationship reached the highest echelon, Astrid had taken Max to her cabin, inviting her to stay with her. Max took one of the superior rooms and, to decorate it, decided to return discreetly to her old house to pick up some of her things. When she got there, she was surprised to see everything ordered, as if a massacre had never happened there. She even found her Polaroid camera still in good condition, something that made her very happy, but that joy did not last long when she remembered where she was. In the end, Max finished collecting everything she wanted and returned to the forest with Astrid.

At certain times of the day, Max and Astrid walked through the woods while the eldest carried the youngest on her back; Max had her arms around Astrid's neck and her chin rested on the woman's head.

"Have not you thought about putting something else on top of jackets and vests?" Max laughed.

"Nah, it would be a lot of clothes for me" Astrid joined Max's laughter.

"You are an exhibitionist, Astrid."

"And I think you're following my example, because I have not seen you get nervous every time you take off your clothes before you transform" the woman scoffed.

"That, um, is because I trust you" Max had blushed a little, grateful that Astrid couldn't see her face.

"That or you're getting more daring" Astrid glanced slightly over Max's shoulder with a smile.

"I blame you for that."

"I'm happy with the results."

Astrid looked back down the road while she and Max laughed. Both wolves had become accustomed to spending all their time together, the bond between them had grown a lot in a very short time. Astrid had become like an older sister to Max, sometimes she even saw her as a mother, and Max was happy to have found someone like Astrid to accompany her in her life as a werewolf.

"Astrid" The brunette said softly.

"Yes?" replied the woman with the same gentleness.

"When we saw each other a second time, you told me you were intrigued by having seen another werewolf in these woods" Max paused. "What did you mean by that?"

There was a long pause on Astrid's part, and her walk became a little slower.

"A long time ago, there were lots of werewolves in Arcadia Bay, the forests were full of them, I am even surprised that no one has suspected anything in so long. Well, nobody except the hunters" Max tensed a little at those words, and Astrid noticed, but pretended not to. "They arrived one day and little by little they were getting rid of our species, killing each one of us. I was one of the few who survived, and even today I still don't know why those damned bastards came so suddenly and tried to get rid of us."

"Wait, you said you were one of the few who survived. Was there more?"

"Yes, several of us survived, and many of them decided to settle in the village and try to live next to humans. But our instinct is too strong, and not all werewolves can spend so much time separated from nature, which is our true home."

"What do you mean by that?" Max said quietly.

Astrid sighed. "Some of us who tried to live with humans couldn't be with them for long and went back to the forest. Not long after, they were hunted."

"But... what about my parents?"

"I sense that they managed to get used to human life and that's why they stayed. Even so... I didn't think the hunters would go so far as to break into your parents' house and risk being discovered."

Max clung to Astrid, and the conversation ended there.  _I think I have an idea of why they did it_ , Max thought in response to what Astrid had said. The woman had listened to the brunette's thought, but decided not to say anything.

None of them had been hanging around because of the conversation they were having, so neither Max nor Astrid noticed the arrow that had been fired not far from where they were. The arrow grazed the girls, surprising them, but another arrow came behind the first and this time managed to scrape Max's face, leaving a horizontal wound and something deep on the bridge of the girl's nose. That caused Max to scream in pain and get unbalanced, causing her and Astrid to fall to the ground.

"Maxi!" Astrid yelled as she approached Max and put her arms around her, in a vain attempt to protect her.

Three more arrows were fired at the wolves. Astrid managed to push Max aside to avoid two of the three arrows, but the last one managed to dig into the back of Astrid, who growled in pain.

"Come on, Maxi, you have to get up!" Astrid exclaimed as she helped Max to her feet.

Max sat up and removed her hands from her face; blood ran down the lower part of her face and her hands were stained with blood. After several years of hunting, of killing animals to survive, Max no longer cared to see blood on her hands, but she never imagined that she would see her own blood in them.

"Max!"

Astrid's scream drew Max out of her thoughts and she soon returned to the present.

"You must run, I will take care of them!" Exclaimed Astrid.

"You're crazy if you think I'll leave you here alone with against those bastards!" Max replied. "I will not run away from them again. No more."

Astrid looked at Max and saw the determination in those blue eyes. The woman had no choice; whatever she said wouldn't make the girl change her mind.

Two other arrows struck both girls, but managed to dodge them successfully. Max ran in the direction from which an arrow came, while Astrid ran in the opposite direction. Sooner than later, Max encountered a hooded figure, a man, who shot her a newly loaded arrow that Max easily deflected with one hand.

The man tried to reload the crossbow, but Max soon rushed at him as she transformed, falling on him in her wolf form, growling at him. The crossbow had fallen away from the man, but before Max could bite him, the hooded man took a dagger from his belt and stuck it into the shoulder of Max's left front leg, causing a moan of pain from the wolf, but Max immediately dug her jaws into the man's neck and threw him a few feet away.

Max quickly grabbed the dagger and pulled it off her shoulder, dropping it on the ground. Then she approached the dying man, and when he tried to get up weakly, Max put a paw on his chest and growled at him, forcing him to stay on the ground. Blood ran down the hooded man's neck and his eyes showed terror. Max wasted no time in ending the man's suffering by biting his neck hard enough to break it. When she heard that characteristic 'Crack', Max let go of the man's neck and the inert body of the hooded man fell to the ground.

Max licked the blood from her muzzle a little and quickly ran to find Astrid. When she found her, she saw that she now had another arrow stuck in her back and was surrounded by two other hooded ones; one reloaded his crossbow and the other had a dagger in each hand.

Max furtively approached the hooded dagger and, with one bound, she swooped down his back, surprising him and biting him fiercely on the neck until he was knocked over. The other hooded man fired an arrow at Max, but Astrid stopped her with her jaws and faced Max, protecting her.

When Max finished with the hooded one, she quickly put herself next to Astrid and both wolves began to surround the remaining hooded one, apparently another man. Max and Astrid could smell the fear and the nerves that the man transmitted while they snarled at him.

"Not today."

It was what the man whispered before grabbing something from his belt and throwing it to the ground, achieving an explosion of dense smoke that occupied several meters and distracted the wolves. Max and Astrid could not see or smell anything through the smoke, so they had to stay in their positions. They heard steps away and shortly after the smoke dissipated. The hooded man had disappeared, he had fled.

Max and Astrid relaxed immediately and the adrenaline of battle left their bodies; the pain of both wounds began to appear.

" _Shit_ " Astrid's words echoed in Max's mind. " _That... was fucked._ _ Thanks for the help, Maxi._"

" _There's no need_ " Max replied without mood as she started walking towards the forest.

Max passed by Astrid without paying attention, even when she heard a "Maxi?"coming from Astrid did not even stop to see the older wolf. Astrid did not call Max again and just followed the brown wolf to the clearing with the lake in the middle of it.

Before getting into the lake, Max returned to her human form and walked into the lake until the water reached her chest. Astrid entered the water next to her shortly after, also in her human form.

"Maxi?"

Max did not respond until moments later.

"Why does this have to happen?" Astrid decided not to say anything and remain silent. "Why can't they leave us alone? Why can't they leave me alone?" Max paused. "First my parents and now they almost take you..."

Tears fell down the brunette's cheeks, and the older woman ran the back of her hand lightly over one of Max's cheeks, wiping away her tears.

"The worst part was that I had to kill two of those damn... and now my hands are stained with human blood."

"You did it to survive. You don't have to blame yourself."

"But for how much longer will I have to do this, huh? How many more times am I going to face those damned beasts? How many more times will I stain my body with blood foreign to mine?"

Max was collapsing and Astrid quickly hugged her, holding the brunette in her arms. Astrid could feel Max's tears on her shoulder, so the older woman stroked the girl's back in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's fine, Maxi" Astrid said as she leaned back and poured Max some water on her face to wipe the blood from her face. "I know things got fucked up with those hunters, but we survived, and that means if they come back to us, they'll have a hard time" Astrid removed some brown strands from Max's face; the green eyes met the blue ones. "You are strong, Maxi, don't let some idiots destroy you. You are better than that."

Astrid finished cleaning the blood from Max's face, exposing the wound on the bridge of the brunette's nose.

"Shit, that's a tremendous wound. You'll have a battle scar left, my dear" said Astrid with a smile in an attempt to cheer Max up.

It worked, because a small smile formed on Max's face, but that smile soon became a thin line.

"Astrid" Max said softly. "Can you promise me you'll never leave me?" Max's voice sounded so weak.

The woman watched the brunette closely, seeing a deep sadness and concern in those blue eyes. Astrid smiled sweetly and ran a hand through Max's hair.

"I promise, Maxi" said Astrid with the same softness as Max.

That caused a big smile to form on Max's face, causing Astrid's smile to also widen.

"Now" Astrid said as she leaned back a bit and pointed her thumb at her back, "be a good friend and help me get those arrows off my back."

* * *

**November 10, 2012**

It was close to 4 pm while Max watched from the woods the courtyard of the bedrooms of the Blackwell Academy, hidden among the branches of a tree. The autumn was making itself felt, because it was getting cold during the day. Max always found the climate of Arcadia Bay strange; in a second it could be sunny and the next you would have a storm, and Max did not like the storms, they scared her.

The young woman's thoughts were interrupted when someone landed on the side and sat next to her.

"What are you looking at, Maxi?" asked Astrid sounding strangely cheerful.

"Just taking care of Chloe" said Max without looking away from the campus.

Astrid looked towards the dormitory patio and looked for the aforementioned blonde strawberry that Max had talked about over the years. When she didn't find her, she turned to Max with a raised eyebrow, making the brunette laugh.

"It's that girl over there" Max pointed a finger at a blue-haired punk girl who was skating next to a blonde girl and two other boys. "She dyed her hair blue, I think it looks good."

"And she's wearing the skullcap you gave her" said Astrid with a smile.

"Yes" Max said quietly. "I still can't believe she keeps using it after so long."

"She must have liked it a lot."

"If so, I'm glad that she liked it, and the fact that she keeps using it makes me happier."

Astrid looked closely at Max, noticing that the brunette had a smile on her face and apparently was entertained by what she saw. Then Astrid sighed and a small smile adorned her lips.

"You really love that girl, don't you?"

Max looked at Astrid for a moment before turning her attention back to Chloe.

"A lot."

"I don't know how you resist watching her from afar."

"I'm worried about her safety, after what happened with those hunters, I'm afraid they're going after her now, so it's enough for me to see her from afar."

There was a pause in the conversation. Astrid knew there was more behind what Max said.

"Besides that."

"Hmm?" Max finally turned to Astrid.

"There is something more besides that."

Max went blank , looking away.

"Maxi, come on, you know you can tell me" Astrid's voice was soft.

Max was silent, and Astrid thought for a moment that she wouldn't get anything from the brunette, but was surprised when Max spoke again as she watched Chloe again.

"I think I'm in love with her."

That simple phrase surprised Astrid and made her turn to the blue-haired girl. She now rested on the lawn with that blonde, looking at the other two guys skating. Astrid then turned to Max and her expression softened when she saw the look of defeat on the brunette's face.

"So you not only worry about her because of the hunters, but it's also something deeper" said Astrid softly.

Max nodded. "I didn't realize these feelings until recently, but yes, I think I'm in love."

That made things more complicated and Astrid knew that since she knew a certain amount of information about werewolves that she had not said she wanted to tell Max until her suspicions were true. And now that they had confirmed, Astrid had no choice but to tell Max that.

"Then, why don't you go see her?"

Max immediately looked at Astrid in surprise.

"Are you crazy? I can't risk Chloe like that, if they see me..."

"Then try to make sure no one but her sees you" Astrid had to keep pushing. "I think it would be best if you contacted her at some point."

"Why?" Max's voice was no more than a whisper.

Astrid smiled reassuringly at Max and stroked the brunette's head tenderly.

"Because there's something you should know about our species, Maxi."

Then Astrid finally told Max that data that had been saved long ago.

* * *

**October 21, 2013**

At some point in the conversation, Max had returned to her human form and had dressed to tell her part of the story. She was sitting on one arm of the chair where Chloe was sitting. Max was looking down, unable to look at Chloe.

"Now you know" said Astrid softly from the other chair. "Now you understand why Maxi has not approached you until now... And now you know what she has gone through."

Chloe looked up to see Max, but the brunette's long hair covered her face from the sides.

"Max..." Chloe called.

But the brunette continued looking down, refusing to see the bluenette.

"Sorry, Chloe, for everything" Max said softly, but loud enough for Chloe to hear.

Chloe's gaze became stern and she got up from the chair, facing Max as she crossed her arms.

"Maxine Caulfield, look at me" said Chloe in a stern tone.

Max blinked and swallowed hard, and, with a little effort, looked up and two pairs of blue eyes met. Chloe's gaze softened visibly and a small smile appeared on the features of the bluenette.

Chloe opened her arms. "Come here, idiot."

Max's look showed surprise and happiness at the same time. The brunette's eyes watered and a smile crossed her features. Max immediately jumped out of her position and hugged Chloe, hiding her face in the bluenette's shoulder. The brunette cried in silence, and the punk caressed her back in an attempt to comfort her. Chloe ended up hiding her face in Max's hair, and the brunette had not moved from her position on the bluenette's neck.

Astrid watched the scene with a soft smile. She was glad that the meeting between these girls ended well, and she knew it would end well. After everything Max had told her about Chloe over the years, Astrid was sure that once Chloe understood why Max disappeared and why she had not contacted the bluenette for years, a meeting between the brunette and punk could end up in any way except bad.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The meeting was interrupted when someone knocked on the door. The three women immediately turned toward the door, none of them expected any visit. Who in their right mind would go to a cabin in the middle of the forest? Maybe a lost person, but after all the rumors that ran in Arcadia Bay about the forests no one had dared to go back into one of them.

Unless that person was brave or stupid.

"I'll go see who it is. You two, stay here" Astrid whispered as she got up from the chair and walked towards the door.

When Astrid opened the door she found a woman. Astrid could tell that she was not that tall, maybe a little shorter than Chloe but not as tall as Max.

"Uh. Can I help you with-"

Astrid's question was interrupted when a low growl came from behind her; Max had walked until she was behind Astrid, looking over her shoulder at the woman outside. Max's eyes were steely and her fangs showed as she growled. Chloe had stayed behind, but she had not been so far from Max.

"Maxi? What's wrong?" Astrid asked as she looked over her shoulder at Max.

"You..." Max's voice was sinister, full of venom and malice. Chloe would lie if she said that listening to her childhood friend talk like that had not scared her.

"Maxine Caulfield" The woman said politely. "I've been waiting to see you again."

Another growl, this time louder and more threatening, was the only thing the woman received in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	8. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter really lives up to its name. Just say.
> 
> I must also say that this chapter contains some heavy topics. Read it with caution. That's why I put those new tags.

** October 21, 2013 **

"What the hell are you doing here?" Max asked through clenched teeth.

"Please, let me explain" The woman's tone was still polite, but this time it seemed almost supplicating.

"You have nothing to explain, fucking bitch!" Max yelled.

Chloe immediately hugged Max from behind to try to contain the brunette. The bluenette had never seen her friend explode in that way, and that surprised her and terrified her at the same time.

"Max, calm down" Chloe whispered softly in Max's ear.

"You don't understand, Chloe" Max's voice still had poison, but it was not directed at Chloe. "That woman... That fucking woman was one of the hunters who invaded my house! She killed my mother in front of my own eyes!"

Chloe looked at Max and then at the woman. When the bluenette took a closer look at the woman, her eyes widened; due to Max's initial explosion, Chloe had not realized who this woman was until now.

Her brown hair and platinum blond, her dark gray eyes, her physical resemblance to her blonde friend.

It couldn't be.

"Sera...?" Chloe said in a thin voice.

Max looked over her shoulder at Chloe, her anger now replaced with confusion and surprise.

"Do you know her?" Max asked.

"M-More or less" Chloe said timidly.

Max immediately freed herself from Chloe's arms and the brunette turned to the bluenette with a look of horror and disgust.

"How do you know her, Chloe?" Max's voice still had poison, this time it was directed at Chloe.

Chloe shuddered at Max's words and instinctively took a step back. That was definitely not the Max Caulfield that Chloe had known for years. The brunette has had to mature at an early age, she had seen horrible things being practically a little girl, and that had affected her in many ways; between them, in her personality, and now the bluenette no longer saw a trace of the shy nerdy girl that was Max.

"My name is Sera Gearhardt. I am Rachel Amber's mother."

The woman's voice diverted Max's attention, but the brunette soon turned her attention back to Chloe.

"Did you talk to Rachel about me?" Max said slowly and menacingly.

"Listen, Max, i-it wasn't my intention. S-She started to press me and-"

Chloe's prayer was interrupted by a heavy blow; Max had struck a blow at a nearby wall and her fist had left a small crater in the place of the blow. Chloe had been surprised and scared by Max's outburst of anger, but Astrid and Sera showed no reaction. The brunette slowly pulled her fist from the wall and some drops of blood fell from the knuckles of her hand. Max then turned with murderous eyes towards the blond woman.

"What do you want, bitch?" Max said in a low husky voice. "Speaks."

Sera sighed. "First of all, I regret coming so abruptly. Second, don't blame your friend for talking to my daughter about you, Rachel really can be a gossip and Chloe didn't want to cause you problems consciously."

"To the point" growled Max.

"I think it would be better if we have this conversation inside. Can I pass?"

Astrid looked at Max and the brunette calmed down a little and crossed her arms, visibly upset. Astrid then turned to Sera and made a small gesture with her head.

"Come in" said Astrid.

"Thank you" Sera replied as she entered the house.

When Sera passed Max and Chloe, the brunette growled at the woman while Sera showed the bluenette an apologetic face. Astrid closed the door and immediately approached Max and gently scratched the back of her right ear. Max relaxed and lowered her head a little, closing her eyes. Chloe looked at the wolves with a raised eyebrow, and when Astrid caught her gaze, she winked at the bluenette with a small smile.

"Now, to what I have come" Sera announced, making all eyes turn to her. "Maxine, I know our first meeting was not... nice."

Max huffed. "That's a euphemism. And it's Max, never Maxine."

Sera had the courage to show a small smile.

"It's okay. Max, you must know something" The smile on the blonde woman's face had disappeared. "That day when we broke into your home and... Well, you know, happened what happened..., I escaped from the group of hunters. I abandoned them."

"And what?" Max asked a little annoyed.

"Leaving the hunters is a terrible offense, and the punishment is the deserter's hunt. I think you can already imagine what it's like to have to escape and hide from them."

"Oh, I have a very good idea of it" Max's tone had poison.

Sera let out a sigh. "I had to hide from them, I even had to bandon my daughter and my husband."

"Wait" interrupted Chloe. "I already knew you abandoned Rachel. But how did you know about Max?"

Sera showed a small smile.

"Rachel and I are still in contact in secret. Her father doesn't know, it's... a little arrangement between her and me."

"What did that Rachel say about Max?" Astrid joined the conversation.

"Rachel has told me about Max since Chloe began telling her how her best childhood friend disappeared one day without a trace" The sad tone in Sera's voice was noticeable .

Chloe looked up at Max when she heard that Sera's prayer, fearing to meet a stern look from the brunette, but all she found was a low guilty look on Max's face.

"Recently, Rachel told me that Max had mysteriously returned to Chloe's life, that she had suddenly appeared" Sera continued. "So I thought that the junkyard, which is where Chloe and Rachel usually hang out, would be a good place to start looking for clues about Max. If she was the one looking for Chloe..."

"...Chloe would take you to her" Astrid finished. "But why the hell are you looking for Max now after so much time?"

"I let it go the day it all started, and since that day I've been hiding from the hunters just like Max. They wanted me dead, so I spent all my time waiting for them not to find me. I needed to find Max, but in the state I was in, it was practically impossible" Sera sighed. "It wasn't until a few months ago that the hunters stopped looking for me, probably thought that I was dead, and that gave me the possibility to continue my search, but no clues to follow... Well, let's say I didn't have much success."

There was a pause in the conversation, all the women were lost in their thoughts until Sera continued.

"But, answering your question" said the blonde woman as she addressed Astrid, "I was looking for Max to warn her."

"Warn me? Of what?"

Sera looked at Max with a melancholy expression on her face.

"From my leader. He's still looking for you, Max, he has not stopped doing it since that fateful night almost three years ago. And he is here now, in Arcadia Bay."

Max gritted her teeth, her anger returning to her. Astrid put a hand on Max's right shoulder in an attempt to calm her, something that worked halfway.

"Do you know where exactly he is?" Max asked.

"Yes. He got a job at Blackwell Academy so he could stay here without suspicion."

"Blackwell? But Rachel is there" said Chloe, close to panic.

"I know, Chloe, that's why I warned my daughter not to get too close to that man."

"And who is that leader of yours? What is his name?" Asked Astrid.

Sera looked at all the women in the room, stopping at Max before speaking.

"His name is Mark Jefferson."

Chloe frowned, remembering that she had heard that name in one of the conversations she had with Rachel. If her memory did not fail her, she remembered hearing the blonde say that the guy was a famous photographer, even Chloe could tell that Rachel seemed to admire him. But the bluenette could not understand at that time how someone as supposedly famous as Mark Jefferson could be, at the same time, a werewolf hunter.

"Go away."

Max's low, menacing voice interrupted Chloe's thoughts and made everyone in the room look at the brunette.

"Max" Sera said trying to be nice, "listen-"

"No. I don't want to hear a single word from you" Max's voice was sinister. "You've done what you came to do; warn me" The brunette showed a crooked, almost mocking smile. "So I'll tell you the same thing you told me a long time ago. Get out of here and never come back."

Sera seemed to try to open her mouth to say something, but when she saw the dark expression on Max's face, the blond woman fell quickly. Sera watched the other three women, deliberately avoiding Max's eyes, and then walked to the door, opened it and stopped at the doorframe. Sera looked over her shoulder to say one last thing.

"Thanks, Max. I just want you to know that my daughter can help" And then the blonde woman left, closing the door behind her.

A long audible sigh came from Max as she covered her face with her hands, then passed them through her hair.

"Max..." Chloe said softly, trying to put a hand on Max's shoulder.

"No" Max turned away from Chloe's affections for the first time since they met again. "Not now, Chloe, I..." Max paused, looking at the ground and then averting her eyes. "I need a moment alone."

Without waiting for an answer, Max walked hurriedly up the stairs, up to her room. A soft knock was heard on the floor above, indicating that the brunette had already entered her room and closed the door.

"That... it was better than I thought" Astrid said in a sigh.

Chloe looked at her strangely. "I had never seen Max act like this... What was all that?"

"That, Chloe, was a werewolf acting like that" Astrid rubbed her face in an attempt to calm herself.

"In English, please."

Astrid sighed, dropping her hands to the sides and looking at Chloe.

"Do you know why it is difficult for some of us to live with humans?"

Chloe shook her head. Astrid walked to one of the chairs and sat on it, placing her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands together. The bluenette approached the woman, but decided to stand, crossing her arms.

"Werewolves feel emotions more intensely. Anger, sadness, lust, happiness. Those and the other emotions intensify in us; we feel euphoric when we are happy, we cry easily when we become sad and we want to hit something when we get angry. That hole in the wall left by Maxi is an example of that."

Chloe looked at the hole in the wall, making her frown with worry. Max had every right to be angry at the woman who killed her mother, but Chloe wasn't expecting such an outburst from the brunette.

"Anyway, what I was saying" Astrid leaned back in her seat and Chloe returned her attention to the woman. "Some of us have a hard time keeping our emotions on the sidelines and that can be a danger to both a human and the werewolf itself. Imagine an angry werewolf loose in the streets of Arcadia Bay; that would probably end in a bloodbath."

Chloe shuddered involuntarily at the thought of that scenario. An image of a large blue-eyed brown wolf destroying every human being that crossed his path passed through Chloe's mind.

The bluenette quickly shook those thoughts, she did not want to think that something like this could happen.

_No Max.  She could never be able to do something like that... Right?_

Astrid did not seem to notice the internal battle Chloe was having, so she kept talking.

"Maxi is..." She sighed sadly. "Poor thing... Maxi is still a puppy, they have a harder time controlling their emotions and that's why they usually have outbursts. But, to be honest, I had never seen her have such an outburst, Maxi always seemed to control her emotions very well" Astrid looked away from the door. "I suppose the fact that the woman who caused so much suffering in a single night was here made her anger blind her. I wouldn't blame her, to tell the truth."

"And you?"

Astrid looked back at Chloe. "Hmm?"

"How about you? Do you control your emotions?"

Astrid had the courage to show a small smile.

"I have many more years than I look, Chloe, I've lived as a werewolf for a long time, enough to learn from my species and myself."

Chloe grimaced. "You're too cryptic, but I'll take that as a yes."

Astrid laughed and settled back a little more in her seat.

"Uh, Astrid, right?" The woman nodded in response. "Considering all that weird shit you just said, I think maybe you can answer a question I have."

Astrid seemed thrilled by it, for an excited glow flashed in her green eyes.

"Throw the question."

Chloe did not expect Astrid to respond positively to her request, so she hesitated for a moment before looking at the woman.

"Can a werewolf convert a human?"

Astrid did not answer for a few seconds and that worried Chloe. She had asked something bad?

"No" Astrid answered with a smile while shaking her head. "At least not in the traditional way, so to speak."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, indicating to Astrid to continue with the explanation.

"Tell me, Chloe, how do you think a werewolf can convert a human?" Astrid was still smiling.

"Uh, with a bite or a scratch" Chloe shrugged.

Astrid shook her head. "Those are just myths that humans create to try to make sense of something they don't know how it works."

"So, how does it work?" Chloe seemed intrigued to know the answer.

"The first thing you should know is that a werewolf is born, it is not done."

"But you said that-"

"I know what I said" interrupted Astrid, "but let me finish talking, will you?" She teased.

"Sorry... Continue."

"All right. As I was saying, werewolves are only born, they can't be created. With a werewolf having children with a human is enough to transmit the, um" Astrid seemed to look for the right word, "'condition' to the children. In the case of Maxi, both her father and mother were werewolves, so we could say that she is of pure blood."

"What an original" Chloe joked, earning a small laugh from the wolf.

"In my case, one of my parents was a werewolf, but I really don't know if it was my mother or my father, I don't remember" Astrid shrugged.

"Okay. And when do we get to the part of turning a human into a werewolf?"

"That's the interesting thing. So far it has not been known of any human being who has managed to be turned into a werewolf."

"Woman, you're confusing me" Chloe moaned as she threw her head back. "First you say one thing and then you contradict yourself."

"That's because you don't know how to listen, girl, you rush" laughed Astrid. "But what I say is true, nobody has known of a human turned into a werewolf, but all of our kind know a kind of instructions to convert someone."

"I'll ask you before you're out of the bush. What are those instructions?"

Astrid smiled. "The bad thing is that those instructions are in the form of a riddle."

"Goddamnit, why does it always have to be such a shit?!" Chloe complained with a voice sharper than she would have liked to use.

Astrid smiled playfully. "Do you want me to tell you the instructions or not?"

"Yes, fuck, tell me" demanded the bluenette, earning a satisfied smile from the woman.

"When the misfortune is with the death and the fragments and the essences come together, the wolf will rise and a new life will be born. "

Chloe was silent as she inspected the riddle in her mind, trying to decipher what she meant.

She did not succeed.

"What the fuck does that mean?"

Astrid really laughed at Chloe's reaction, but punk did not find anything funny at the moment.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Astrid said as she calmed down her laugh. "I have no idea what it means either, I can only guess some things. Even though I think you just have to read between the lines to understand that riddle, it really isn't that difficult if you know what you're looking for."

Chloe decided to sit in the free chair, holding her head with her hands while her elbows rested on her knees. Her mind was going at a thousand per hour, various thoughts flooded her head fighting which of them should be a priority; Sera being the cause of so much suffering for Max, a supposedly famous photographer pursuing perhaps obsessively her best friend, emotional outbursts of werewolves that could cause a disaster of great proportions, the fucking riddle that left the bluenette more questions what answers.

Finally, Chloe decided which thought to pay attention to.

"What about Max?"

Chloe's voice caught the attention of Astrid, who had lost herself in her own ocean of thoughts. Astrid subtly gave small sniffs, looking for a certain smell. When she found it, her once amused expression fell.

"You saw how she was when the meeting with Sera ended. What should we do?" Chloe asked.

"Someday you should tell me more about that woman" Astrid said quietly, receiving a small nod from Chloe in response. "And I think what you should do now is go talk to Maxi."

Chloe raised her head, looking at Astrid with confusion and maybe a scare.

"I don't know if you noticed, but the way Max looked at me and acted a while ago told me that she wanted me dead."

"Please, Chloe, go talk to her" Astrid's voice was pleading. "Don't let her lock herself."

Chloe just needed to hear the voice and see Astrid's defeat expression to be convinced to go talk to the girl who recently probably wanted to tear her head off.

So Chloe got up from the chair and walked directly towards the stairs. As soon as she set foot on the first step, Astrid's call stopped her.

"Chloe, something more."

"Yes?" Chloe whispered, but she was sure the wolf, with her senses far more developed than the humans, had heard her.

"Don't be surprised if you see Maxi cry or... do something else. It's part of the outburst" Astrid stared at the fire in the fireplace.

Chloe didn't decide to ask, so she climbed the stairs to the top floor and came to the door of the, which she assumed, was Max's room. When she was about to knock on the door, a voice from the room interrupted her.

"You can go in, Chloe" Max's muffled voice was heard through the door.

Chloe swallowed before opening the door. Max's room was quite simple, without many decorations. There was a bed against the wall facing Chloe along with a bedside table on one side, a closet on one of the side walls, while the other wall had a window that gave a great view of the forest. A lamp that was on the bedside table was everything that gave light to the place.

Everything was made of wood; the floor, the walls, the ceiling, even the bed support was made of wood. But what most caught the attention of all were the many strings that hung along the roof; several polaroids hung from them, giving the room the touch of Max Caulfield. The polaroid camera of the brunette was in one of the corners of the room, probably so that nothing would happen to her.

"This room is very your style, Max" Chloe said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Max only hummed in response, and Chloe could not tell if it was an affirmative or negative hum.

The brunette was sitting in the middle of the bed, with her knees drawn to her chest. Her hands rested on her shoulders and her gaze was low; the long brown hair covered most of her face. The poor girl looked torn.

"I, um, I'm sorry for, well, everything" Chloe murmured as she stood in the doorway.

Max lifted her head enough to look at Chloe. The bluenette noticed that the brunette's eyes were red from crying and there were still traces of tears on her cheeks.

It was an image that Chloe was sorry to see.

"Why did you talk to Rachel about me?" This time Max's voice was soft, almost pleading, any trace of anger in her voice was gone.

"I tried telling you before, Max, she practically pushed me to tell her" Chloe explained softly. "Although I must admit that it's partly my fault. I just got away from your reappearance and... And I ended up talking about more."

Max showed a small smile, closing her eyes.

"Typical of Chloe Price, you can never close your mouth" Her voice did not sound accusatory, but rather nostalgic.

Chloe managed to show her own smile and finally had the courage to enter the room and walk to the bed, sitting on it and pushing herself a bit until she was next to Max. Their shoulders almost touched because of how close they were.

"Do you know anything?" Chloe said softly as she delicately ran a hand through Max's hair. "I really like your long hair. It's a great change from that ponytail you had."

Max laughed, and Chloe was glad to hear such a wonderful sound after all the hustle and bustle there was recently.

"And I don't plan to cut it in a long time, I've come to like it" replied Max with a smile.

Chloe left Max's hair alone and then leaned back a little, holding on with her hands. The bluenette watched the polaroids scattered on those strings that hung from the ceiling, wondering where the hell Max would get so much film for that camera.

But another question swam through that ocean of thoughts.

"Hey, Max" Chloe called with a thin voice.

"Hmm?" Max replied without turning to see Chloe.

"If I had not been there to divert your attention from Sera... What would you have done to her?" The question came carefully and fearfully from the bluenette's lips.

The brunette didn't respond immediately, but it was something to be expected. It was about a minute before Max spoke.

"Do you want me to be totally honest?"

Max's words were full of supplication, but she refused to see Chloe.

"...Yes" Chloe didn't know if she was making the right decision by asking for that.

Another minute of silence invaded the room before a few words that Chloe didn't want but that she hoped to hear were said.

"I would have killed her without hesitation."

A chill ran through Chloe; she would never have expected to hear Max's determined words. It was another evidence that the girl the bluenette had known years ago probably did not exist anymore.

"But..." Max continued, this time in a slightly softer voice, "when I knew that she was Rachel's mother, your friend..., I couldn't do it. I know better than anyone what it is to lose a mother in an unfortunate event, and that someone like me, a monster, kill someone else's mother..." The brunette let out a sigh. "Nobody deserves it... Nobody."

Chloe heard Max rubbing her hands over her shoulders, though she thought she heard a strange sound at one point, but soon she stopped paying attention to it while still listening to Max.

"But still, that doesn't prevent me from continuing to hate her. It doesn't matter if she warned me about her leader, I don't care if she helps me stop him, I don't care what she does to redeem herself; I will never forgive her for what she did and for what she forced me to see" Max stopped rubbing her shoulders and let out a sigh. "When her time comes, when she dies either by my hand or not..., she will have paid her price for killing my mother."

Definitely Max had changed, but Chloe was not sure if those words of Max came from herself or from one of those bursts that Astrid described.

Chloe wanted to believe it was due to the second option.

She wanted to believe it so hard...

"You shloud think I'm a horrible person."

That phrase of Max moved Chloe away from her thoughts and made her react immediately.

"Huh?"

"After everything I've done, you should think I'm a horrible person."

Chloe frowned slightly at Max's words.

"No" The bluenette said firmly.

Max finally took courage to turn to see Chloe. "What?"

"Max, you're anything but a bad person" Chloe's tone of voice was determined but gentle at the same time. The punk leaned forward, sitting down. "Why do you say that about you?"

"Chloe, I've done horrible things" Max's voice seemed pleading, "I have... horrible thoughts about things I'd like to do that would hurt someone else" The brunette paused. "I've killed people..." She said that last in a thread of voice.

"Those fucking hunters?" Chloe asked scornfully, but it was not aimed at Max. "Max, they were attacking you, you just defended yourself. As far as I'm concerned, they deserved it."

Max could not understand how and why Chloe would think those things about her. What had she defended? The brunette was hard to believe, she thought she had killed those hunters in cold blood, nothing more. But... Chloe would have been right? Did they deserve it?

One part of Max shouted that yes, the other part screamed that she had done it because she wanted to. They were like a white wolf and a black wolf fighting to see who would have control.

She didn't know which of them she should follow.

"Do you want to know what I really think of you?"

Chloe's voice took Max out of her internal fight, making the brunette look into the bluenette's eyes. The punk's question had sounded so soft, as if she was not saying it with malicious intent, as if she were not trying to hide anything behind that question.

"Yes" Max replied quickly. Whatever Chloe thought of her should be good... Right?

"I don't think you're a bad person. I firmly believe that you are a good person who has done bad things, Max Caulfield."

Max's eyes widened at the words of the bluenette. Chloe could not believe that, it must be a kind of bad joke or something like that.

"Chloe, if you're kidding-"

"Never in my life have I said anything so seriously, Max" Chloe said firmly.

Max's lips parted slightly and her eyes narrowed in exhaustion. Then, the brunette dropped forward, placing her head on one of Chloe's shoulders. The bluenette immediately put a hand on the head of the brunette and began to caress her tenderly.

"Thank you, Chloe..." Max said softly, her voice muffled by Chloe's clavicle.

"Never doubt yourself, Max" Chloe replied with the same gentleness.

Max giggled. "When did you become a therapist?"

That made a smile form on Chloe's face. The punk was happy to have pulled Max out of that bubble of self-loathing even for a moment.

"When I became an expert in self-esteem issues and those things" Chloe replied, still smiling.

Max did not laugh this time. Chloe thought she had said more than necessary, but her thoughts were interrupted when her hand went through one of Max's shoulders while she caressed her, feeling something liquid and a little viscous in her fingers.

When Chloe raised her hand to see what it was, the light from the lamp was enough to illuminate the red spots on her fingers.

Blood.

"Max..." Chloe, worried, lowered her eyes to try to see Max.

The brunette immediately leaned back, lowering her legs and hugging herself, avoiding the bluenette's gaze.

"I didn't want you to see that..." Max muttered.

Chloe's expression went from worried to sad in a matter of seconds.

"Come on, Mad Max. Tell me where the bathroom is, you have to clean yourself" Chloe said softly.

Max was silent for a few moments before giving Chloe instructions, telling her that the bathroom was in the other door that was in the hallway. Chloe then carefully took Max by the arms, lifting her out of bed and taking her to the bathroom. The bluenette turned on the light and immediately took the brunette in front of the sink and opened the key so that the water began to flow.

Then Chloe looked at Max, who was looking down and still hugging herself. The punk showed a small sad smile.

"You need to wash those wounds, Max."

Max slowly lowered her arms to the sides, then began to take off her shirt and throw it to the side of the bathroom. The brunette was not wearing a bra, but Chloe did not care at the time, so she told Max to turn around, and she did, grabbing her long hair to put it on her chest and letting her back and shoulders exposed.

The wounds on Max's shoulders looked as if the claws of some animal had scraped it. But from what Chloe had seen in Max's room, and remembering that weird sound she heard when the brunette rubbed her shoulders, it was clear that was not the case.

Chloe quickly sensed that Max was doing that to herself.

"So why did you have those scars on your shoulders that night in the tree house?" Chloe asked as she rolled up the sleeves of her leather jacket and grabbed a cloth near the sink, soaking it in water and then starting to carefully run it through the wounds on Max's shoulders.

"Yes" It was the only thing the brunette answered, with her gaze fixed nowhere.

"How long have you been doing this to yourself?" Chloe's voice was soft, free of anger or accusation.

Max looked slightly over her shoulder.

"Why do you think I-"

"I'm not an idiot, Max" Chloe interrupted.

The brunette sighed in defeat. "Recently. When I get nervous about a situation, I usually do that to myself. It... calms me."

"You know there are other ways to calm nerves that self-harm, right?"

"How would you know that?"

Chloe stopped the cleaning and ran her right wrist over Max's shoulder, bringing the doll close to the brunette's face. When Max looked closely at Chloe's wrist, her eyes widened in surprise; several thin scars, lines parallel to each other, passed along the wrist of the bluenette.

The punk moved the doll away from the brunette's face and soaked the cloth again to continue cleaning Max's wounds.

"I know what it is to go through fucking times. When you and my father left my life, I... Well, I started doing what you're doing to yourself" Chloe said in a whisper. "And yes, I know, pain distracts you from everything for a moment, but in the end you end up fucking yourself. I almost do it."

"What kept you from doing it?" Max's voice was weak and seemed about to break.

Chloe was silent for a moment before responding with a small smile.

"Let's say that an angel came into my life and saved me from doing not one, but many stupidities."

Max gave a small giggle at that comment. Chloe then left the cloth on the sink, having already finished cleaning the brunette's wounds.

"Well, I'm finished. You can put your shirt back on."

"Nah, I'm fine" Chloe could hear the smile in Max's voice. That daring girl was coming back.

The punk searched around and saw the brunette's sleeveless shirt by the door, so she went to the garment and took it, playfully throwing Max in her face.

"Get dressed, exhibitionist" Chloe teased, smiling.

"Yeah, yeah" Max said as she put her shirt back on, still with a smile on her face.

"I hope the werewolves have a kind of accelerated healing or some shit like that, I would not like you to have those wounds on your shoulders for a long time" The bluenette said as she and her friend walked back to the brunette's room.

"Don't worry, they're probably cured tomorrow morning."

Max was the last to enter the room, so she closed the door behind her and immediately jumped towards the bed.

"Preparing to sleep, Super Max?"

"Is that your favorite nickname? Because you use it a lot" Max settled herself a little more on the bed. "And answering your question, yes, I'm getting ready to go to sleep."

"Hmm, fine then."

Chloe looked around the room. Max looked at Chloe.

It was easy for the brunette to intuit what the bluenette was thinking.

"Do you want to stay here?" Max asked in a soft, almost pleading tone.

"It seems you can also read minds" Max chuckled at that comment from Chloe. The brunette could say that she could do something similar to that. "But yes, I would like to sleep here tonight. I doubt that going out to the forest at this time is something intelligent, so... Can I?..."

Max smiled sleepily. "Of course, Chlo. Always."

Chloe grinned widely and began to take off her leather jacket, leaving it somewhere on the side of the room, followed by her combat boots. Chloe thought for a moment about taking off her skullcap too, but...

In the end she didn't take it off and went to bed, lying next to Max. The brunette turned to see Chloe. Both girls were now face to face, each with a small smile adorning their faces.

"We haven't done this for a long time. It reminds me of the pajamas party we used to have in your house" Max said in a whisper.

"Fuck, I think you slept longer there than in your own home" Chloe joked.

Max laughed lightly, playfully pushing Chloe's shoulder.

"That was because you were there all the time."

"Because it was my house, dork."

"And that's why I stayed there all the time."

"For me?" Chloe looked a little surprised.

Max's smile widened. "Yes. For you" Her smile faltered a little when a memory passed through her mind. "I miss Joyce... I wish I could see her again at some point."

"And you will, Maximus. You will" Chloe promised.

Max's smile returned and she moved a little closer to Chloe, laying her head on the punk's chest. Chloe put an arm around Max, hugging her, and the wolf accepted the girl's love without thinking twice. From that position, the brunette could hear the heartbeat of the bluenette, and that strangely calmed her down, so she closed her eyes.

Max was about to fall asleep before Chloe's soft voice reached her ears.

"Max?"

"Yes, Chlo?"

"What was it that Astrid told you that time?... What she had kept secret until that time."

Max was silent for a few seconds, then smiled against Chloe's chest.

"She told me... that werewolves share something in common with normal wolves. If we fall in love with someone and that someone corresponds to us, we will never abandon our partner. Do you know that phrase that is said at the wedding of humans? 'Until death separates them'? Well, it is literally what we do. We don't separate from our partner until one of us dies... It is tragic, but also very romantic. And... I think you should already know why Astrid told me that time when I told her about my feelings."

Chloe hugged Max more firmly, as if she didn't want to let her go.

"She... told you something more about that?"

"Yes... That once a werewolf gets his partner..., both will live happily for a long time, maybe forever."

Max buried her face a little more in Chloe's chest, and Chloe buried her face in Max's hair, drawing more and more of the brunette.

"That... is cute."

"Yes, I think so."

Both girls were silent and closed their eyes while smiling.

"Night, Max."

"Night, Chloe."

Before the dream took Chloe, one last thought crossed her mind.

_Can we live happily ever after?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got a bit dark suddenly, I know. But what I tend to write most are tender stories, so don't worry much.
> 
> Now, if you excuse me, I'll go cry in a corner for the end of the Before the Storm bonus episode, Farewell :')
> 
> See you in the next chapter.


	9. One step at a time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry the wait, this week and the previous one were very busy for me. But as compensation I bring a chapter of 7000 words.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

** September 21, 2007 **

"Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang in unison.

Max blew the candles on the birthday cake. The little girl was celebrating her 12th birthday at the Price residence, which was like a second home for her. Her parents had the great idea of buying a cake in the shape of a camera, something they had a hard time finding, but just by seeing Max's big smile when she saw the cake, Ryan and Vanessa knew that their effort was worth it.

Several applause came later, but the person who most applauded was none other than Chloe Price.

"Happy birthday, Max!" Chloe celebrated as she hugged Max, who smiled broadly at the gesture of her best friend.

"Yes, happy birthday, Max" said William cheerfully. "Just look at you! You are growing as much as Chloe."

Max, reluctantly, separated a bit from Chloe's embrace so she could see William.

"I'm still a little short" Max muttered timidly, but she was still smiling.

"And soon you'll grow up, you'll see!" Chloe encouraged. "Although it would be a pity if you did it, so I couldn't continue mocking your height" joked the blonde strawberry with a smile.

Max gave Chloe a playful little punch, but the taller girl just laughed. Ryan approached his daughter from behind and put his big hands on Max's shoulders.

"Okay, girls, then they'll have time to play" Ryan said quietly, smiling. "Now, why don't we cut the cake?"

Max and Chloe shouted "Yes!" in unison and, sooner rather than later, the Caulfield and Price families had a good time eating cake, they did not even leave leftovers.

* * *

The birthday girl was sitting on the swing in the backyard of the Price residence. She held with her hands the chains that held the swing and her gaze was nowhere.

Her birthday party was long over; Max had opened many gifts, and she was surprised that they were so many considering that the members of the Caulfield and Price families are not very numerous. Although Max didn't complain about it or was demanding with the gifts; she was happy with whatever they gave her, because she was always a person who treasured the things that others gave her.

Max listened as the sliding door of the backyard opened and closed, but she did not need to see who it was, she already sensed it.

"Hey, birthday girl" Chloe's soft, cheerful voice reached Max's ears.

"Hey, Chlo" Max looked up to see Chloe leaning against the swing, staring at the brunette.

"What are you doing out here? The party is inside, not here."

Max shrugged. "I don't know, I just wanted to be alone for a while. Also, you know I don't like parties very much, even if they are with our parents."

"That 's so Max Caulfield. But I think it doesn't matter, it's your birthday after all, you can do whatever you want" Chloe smiled and that smile infected Max.

"Yes, I think you are right."

"I always have it."

Both girls laughed lightly. When the laughter subsided, Max lowered her eyes to the ground and Chloe looked at her worriedly.

"Seriously, Max, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"I don't know" The brunette answered in a low voice. "Just thinking."

Chloe huffed. "Well, you think too much to only be twelve years old."

"What?" Max looked up to see Chloe in confusion.

"Lately you've been very thoughtful about a lot of things" Chloe said in an annoyed tone as she walked around the yard, "and the truth is it's starting to bother me a bit, since you're not telling me anything."

Chloe stopped in front of the wooden fence, looking at the mural she and Max had painted long ago. A medium-sized red ball was on the ground a few inches from Chloe's feet, so she reached down and grabbed the ball, sitting up again to throw the ball to the mural. The ball bounced off the mural and Chloe easily caught it when the object returned to her. The blonde strawberry continued doing the same action while talking.

"You stop to think about something more and more often, and you never tell me what it is about. I'm sorry if I tell you that bothers me a little."

Max remained on the swing, in silence, and looked worriedly at Chloe.

"I mean, you've never done anything like that, hide things" Chloe threw the ball a little harder this time and almost no catches. "I... I did something wrong?" Her voice became weak and sad.

Chloe threw the ball again, but this time, suddenly, Max got in the middle of Chloe and the mural and caught the ball. The blonde strawberry was a little surprised by two things; the first was that she had not seen or heard the brunette get up from the swing, and the second was that Max had caught the ball. The brunette used to be very clumsy, she usually did not catch anybody getting thrown on the first try, but this time she did as if catching things was her hobby.

Max then turned to Chloe with a melancholy and determined expression. The brunette held the red ball in her right hand.

"You have not done anything wrong, Chloe" Max said sternly, but her voice had a touch of sweetness that she only used with her friend. "It's just..." The brunette sighed. "A lot of things have happened to me lately, things that I don't understand. My parents say it's just a phase toward adolescence or something like that, but honestly I don't think that's that, you know?" Max started to wander a little, but shook her head slightly to ward off those thoughts. Then she looked back at Chloe. "But I don't want you to think you've done something wrong, Chloe, you would never do that... You would never do anything bad to me..., right?"

Max offered the ball to Chloe, who looked at the red object and then looked back at the brunette. The blonde strawberry then grabbed the ball that her friend offered her and Chloe looked at Max with a smile.

"I would never do that, Max" Chloe assured.

Chloe playfully tossed the ball towards Max's head. The object bounced off the girl's head and shot off to one side of the courtyard, and both girls shared a laugh that made them forget what the brunette had confessed only a few seconds ago.

"You're a dork" Max said between giggles.

"And you're a nerd" Chloe replied also laughing lightly.

Chloe then pulled Max into a hug, one that the brunette did not resist, and both girls wrapped the other in her arms. Max was shorter than Chloe, so her head was buried in the neck of the taller girl.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, can't you, Max?" Chloe's soft voice sounded.

"I know that very well, Chloe, I know that very well" Max replied with the same gentleness, although her voice was partially muffled by the blonde strawberry's neck.

Chloe began to separate (a little reluctantly) from Max, but let her hands rest on the brunette's shoulders.

"Come on, Maximus, let's go in and enjoy the rest of your birthday party."

Max smiled, and that smile soon spread to Chloe.

"Guide the way, Chloe."

The blonde strawberry took the hand of her friend and then took the brunette to the residence Price.

Their smiles never left their faces, and their hands never parted.

* * *

**October 22, 2013**

The song of the birds was much more deafening in that place than in the town, and Chloe would be complaining if that song did not sound so melodious. She was grateful that it was the birds and their song that woke her up in the morning and not a fucking rooster with his morning cackling; that would have been insufferable.

But soon those thoughts were removed from her mind when she felt a pair of fingers caressing her hair. Chloe did not need to open her eyes even a little to know who would be doing such a thing.

"I'll guess, you don't want me to stop doing what I'm doing" said a soft voice.

Chloe allowed herself a small smile, but did not open her eyes.

"Yes, don't stop, Max" Chloe murmured drowsily.

Max voice laughed lightly and continued stroking Chloe's hair. The fingers and the palm of the brunette's hand went through the blonde roots of the bluenette, something that seemed strange to Chloe. The punk opened her eyes slightly and looked up; the long brown hair was the first thing she saw, followed by those deep blue eyes and freckles, in addition to that characteristic scar. Chloe did not overlook the fact that Max was wearing her dark blue skullcap, but she also noticed that the brunette's eyes were a little red; apparently she had cried.

Chloe decided to let that thought go, then pay attention.

"Hey, why do you have my skullcap?" Chloe asked, her drowsiness making itself felt.

The brunette smiled playfully. "This is easier to stroke your hair, silly. Don't complain."

The bluenette smiled again. "I don't complain."

Both girls stayed like that for a long time. At one point, Chloe had spent her head from the pillow Max's lap, and the brunette did not seem to mind at all that the bluenette do that. Chloe did not even care what time it was; she only knew that it was morning and that was enough for her. The punk only wished she could stay like this forever, being next to Max and that she caressed her hair as tenderly as she did.

But deep down, Chloe knew that would not be possible. That guy Mark Jefferson was still out there looking for Max, and he probably would not leave his search so easily if he's spent the last 5 years doing it. In fact, Chloe was surprised that he had not found the brunette in so long, but the bluenette was grateful for that. Who knows what she would do if she knew that Max had died at the hands of someone like him...

Chloe pushed those thoughts away quickly, she did not need to think about that now, or ever.

Instead, she decided to focus on something else.

"Hey, Max" Chloe called softly without bothering to look up.

"Hmm?"

"Why have you been crying?"

Max smiled nostalgically at Chloe's question even though the bluenette could not see her.

"I had a dream."

"Huh. Was it... something wrong?" The punk asked timidly.

"No" Max replied instantly, but her voice was sweet. "It was the opposite."

"What was your dream about?" Chloe dared to ask.

Max leaned forward a little, strands of her hair falling faintly over Chloe's face. The bluenette felt tickle in her cheeks, so she looked up and found the brunette smiling sweetly at her.

"About us."

Chloe's eyes opened slightly.

"You too?" Chloe asked clearly surprised.

"Uh, what?" Max replied confused.

"I also dreamed. My dream... was also about us."

"Oh... Was it cute?"

Chloe smiled broadly. "Yes. But it felt more like a memory."

Max tilted her head to one side, curious. Chloe could tell that that was the most adorable thing she had ever seen in her life.

"What curious. Chlo, what was that memory about?"

"It was about your birthday. Your 12th birthday, to be exact."

"No way" said Max, surprised. "I dreamed that too."

Chloe was surprised and then lifted her head from Max's lap, sitting up and looking at the brunette.

"Don't fuck. Really?"

Max nodded energetically. "Really."

"But why were you crying?" Chloe's voice was soft.

"Because..." Max smiled wistfully. "Because it reminded me of a happy moment in my life before, you know" Max pointed to herself, her smile disappearing, "this."

Chloe's expression turned sad for a moment, but then she forced herself to smile; she did not want to worry the brunette at this time.

"Hey, don't worry about that, Maximus" Chloe used the same nickname she had used that day 6 years ago. "When we solve all this, you will have more happy memories. You will see."

Max smiled at Chloe's encouraging words.

"As long as those memories are with you" Max said with a bit of sadness and hope. The poor wolf looked like a puppy run over.

Chloe smiled. She took one of Max's hands and gave it a gentle squeeze to try to calm the brunette. Both girls looked at each other and two pairs of blue eyes met.

"I promise" Chloe said softly, making Max smile.

"Good" said Max.

Chloe then took Max's other hand. Both girls intertwined their fingers as if that were the most natural thing in the world. Chloe looked down a little, her smile still there, though it was a little smaller now.

"Max, I'd like to ask you something."

"I'll try to answer it" joked the brunette.

"When you and your friend-"

"Astrid" interrupted Max.

"Yes, Astrid" Chloe continued. "When you and Astrid told me about your five years of absence, I think I remembered you said... that you were in love with me" Chloe noticed that Max's smile faltered, but did not disappear. "That was true?"

Max just stared at Chloe for a few seconds, then sighed, closing her eyes.

"Yes, it was and it's true" Max answered with a soft voice, then opened her eyes to look at Chloe. "It was also true what I told you last night."

"About the infatuation of your species?"

"Yes" Max's smile grew smaller. "And we usually fall in love once in a lifetime" There was a hint of sadness in Max's prayer. Chloe could guess why.

"Max..." Chloe's voice was weak but at the same time soft.

"...Yes?" Max had her eyes downcast.

The bluenette untangled her left hand from the brunette's and she used her thumb and index and middle fingers to hold Max's chin. Chloe then slowly and tenderly lifted Max's chin and both girls looked into each other's eyes.

Chloe leaned forward slowly and Max could not register the moment her lips touched those of punk.

Chloe was kissing her, and Max did not try to retreat, but kissed her back without hesitation. The brunette had thought that she would be the first to do that action, not Chloe, but Max was not complaining.

Chloe ran the fingers that held Max's chin up the line of the brunette's jaw, then down one of her cheeks until it ran down her neck and into the back of her neck. The bluenette then used the position of that hand to attract more to the wolf to the kiss, who did not resist. Max put her hands on Chloe's shoulders and both girls deepened the kiss. After a few seconds (which seemed like hours to the brunette and the punk), Max and Chloe separated from the kiss, both panting slightly but with smiles on their faces.

"Shit, I didn't think you had it inside you, Price."

Chloe laughed. "I think I should say that, Caulfield, your friend was right about that you're getting more and more daring."

Max playfully pushed Chloe's shoulder, causing the bluenette to let out a small laugh.

"Shut up, Chlo" Max replied smiling. "And the name of that friend of mine is Astrid. Put her name in that hollow head of yours once and for all" Max tapped Chloe on the forehead to express her point.

"Okay, okay, I'll remember" Chloe still smiled despite everything. "By the way, where is she?"

Max sniffed a little at the air, turning her head toward the door of the room.

"She's not here, I guess she went to breakfast."

"Wow, you guys have an early breakfast."

Max shrugged. "At this time the food tastes better."

"Okay" Chloe lengthened the syllable a little more, but soon she put it aside because of her enthusiasm. "That makes me wonder, did you ever hunt a bear?"

Max laughed heartily at Chloe's enthusiasm.

"Only once, and it was with help from Astrid, those animals are bigger than us when we're in the form of a wolf."

"I would have liked to see it, it would have been incredible!"

"Nah, it was not so bad" Max shrugged nonchalantly. "We just surrounded him, we jumped on him, we gave him a few bites and the poor thing ended up succumbing to his injuries, even though the damned one dislocated my right shoulder during the fight."

"Shit, it would have been amazing to see, too" Chloe had a big toothy smile, one that soon disappeared and was replaced by a worried expression. "That reminds me... Turn around."

Max raised an eyebrow, confused, but in the same way she turned around. Chloe then tenderly grabbed the brunette's long hair and pulled it aside, exposing Max's shoulders. The wounds of the previous night had healed, some had even disappeared from the skin, while others left scars.

"How does it look?" Max asked, her voice small.

"Well, it looks like they have healed" Chloe replied softly.

Chloe let go of Max's hair. Without giving the other girl the opportunity to do something, the bluenette wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist and hugged her from behind. Chloe rested her head on Max's right shoulder as she hugged her. The brunette practically melted in the bluenette's embrace.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, Chlo" Max said quietly.

"Don't be sorry. It's more, I think it was good that I saw it."

Max looked slightly over her shoulder at Chloe.

"Because you think so?"

There was a small silence in the room before Chloe answered.

"Because... the earlier someone helps you, the sooner you get better" Chloe paused a little. "I know from my own experience."

In that, Max ended up slowly getting rid of Chloe's embrace to turn around. Both girls looked each other in the eye; great affection could be observed in both blue lakes. The brunette then hugged the bluenette, who returned the hug without thinking twice.

They were like this for a long time and it did not take words to express what each of them felt.

Max needed someone even having Astrid.

Chloe needed someone even having Rachel.

Both needed someone to fill a void that could not be filled by anyone.

It wasn't until that moment that they shared in which they realized what they needed to fill the hole in their hearts.

"I really missed you, Max..." Chloe's soft voice broke the silence.

"Me too, Chloe..." Max said with the same gentleness. "You don't know how hard it was just to be able to observe you from afar and not be able to be by your side."

Chloe chuckled. "You make it sound like you're a stalker."

Max laughed softly. "What a way to kill the mood" Soon the tone of the brunette's voice became more serious. "But that was the only way I could be near you, or, well, it was the only way I could feel close to you."

The brunette leaned back a little, but did not separate completely from the bluenette. Max gave Chloe a small smile.

"You should thank Astrid for convincing me to come to you."

Chloe let out an exasperated moan. "Uff, I already owe that woman several things."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" Max had that playful smile on her face.

"How to tell a little about Rachel's mother" Chloe said in a sigh.

Max's smile faded; the memory of the woman who visited the cabin the night before was not something the brunette wanted to remember. At least not for now.

Chloe probably noticed that, since she began to apologize about mentioning that topic, but Max soon silenced her by putting a finger on the lips of the punk and showing her a small smile.

"It's okay, Chloe, you don't have to apologize" Max paused a moment, her smile faltering. "Little by little we will resolve this issue. But for now, it's better to focus on something else."

Chloe sighed, not entirely convinced, but let it go this time; it would be a topic of conversation for later, probably.

"Focus on something else, huh? Something like that guy? Jefferson?" Chloe asked.

"Yes. He and... Rachel."

Chloe looked a little surprised at the mention of that blonde.

"Rachel? Because she?"

"Don't you remember what her mother said before she left? She said that Rachel could help us."

"Huh, you... you're right. But I don't see how she could help us."

Max looked away, thoughtful.

"I think I have an idea" The brunette said distractedly, then turned to Chloe. "But we'll solve that later. Now all I want is to rest after all that explosion last night, you know?"

"I know" laughed Chloe. "I would also feel the same. So, would you give me a ride to the junkyard? I really don't want to do that whole hour long walk."

Max raised a skeptical eyebrow, smiling smugly.

"You just want me to make you piggyback like the other time, isn't it?"

"I never said that" Chloe smiled innocently.

"But you thought about it."

"But it didn't come out of my mouth."

"But still you want."

"And you'll still do it, right?" The bluenette showed her puppyish eyes.

Max chuckled as he shook her head.

"Well, I will" said Max.

"Yes!" Chloe cheered as she raised a fist in victory.

Max separated from Chloe and got out of bed, taking off the skullcap and throwing it at the bluenette. The brunette walked to the door, opened it and stopped in the frame of it, looking over her shoulder at the punk with a smile.

"Now, lazybones, grab your jacket and put on your boots to go."

Chloe put on her skullcap and did not waste a second in jumping out of bed and starting to put on her boots, followed by her leather jacket.

"Oh, and one more thing" Max interrupted causing Chloe to stop as she tried to put an arm in one of the sleeves of her jacket.

"What is it?"

Max smiled broadly and then looked down the hall.

"You'll have the ride, but I'll take you in this form."

"Aww, but the wolf is more comfortable" Chloe complained playfully.

"You'll have to win it, babe" It could hear the smile in Max's voice.

And with that said, the brunette left the room and went down the stairs. She left the cabin to wait for the bluenette outside.

Chloe had not moved from her position, for she was deep in thought because of the name Max used.

A slight blush had also appeared on Chloe's cheeks for the same reason.

* * *

After a long walk, Max had finally succeeded in bringing Chloe to the junkyard. The bluenette was more than happy for the way she had come to the place, and the brunette could not get angry in any way with her friend, she only managed to laugh at how childish Chloe could sometimes be. Max knew that punk appearance was just a disguise of what Chloe really was, but even so, the wolf liked that punk side of the bluenette.

Max was a few meters away from the trees to put a foot in the junkyard until a new smell came to her nose; that made her stop abruptly.

"Max? What's wrong?" Chloe asked, lowering herself from Max's back.

The brunette sniffed a little more to try to locate where the smell came from.

"Uh, Max?"

"Wait a minute, Chloe."

Max gave a last sniff and managed to locate the smell. Her gaze went to a specific position of the junkyard; the cement structure that served as Chloe's personal hideaway.

Chloe followed Max's gaze and then looked confused at her friend.

"Max, seriously, tell me what happens. You're worrying me."

"There's someone there, Chloe" Max said dryly, "and it's not Sera."

The bluenette again saw that structure which she considered a haven for all (apart from all the junkyard in general) and could spot a blond flash through the window of that place.

If it was not Sera...

_ Rachel. _

Chloe turned her gaze to Max and saw that the girl had an impassive expression, something that was to be expected. Chloe then placed a hand on Max's shoulder, drawing the brunette's attention.

"Hey, Max, I have an idea."

"About what?" The brunette seemed a little insensitive.

"About something that will help you distract yourself a bit from those feelings, at least for a few minutes" Chloe said with a smile.

Then Chloe whispered to Max in her ear what they were going to do.

* * *

The long-haired blonde was sitting on the sofa in the shelter, apparently waiting for something. The sound of footsteps attracted Rachel's attention, causing her to look toward the entrance to the shelter. The footsteps sounded closer and closer, and soon Chloe appeared at the entrance that Rachel was watching. The blue eyes met the hazel.

"Chloe?" Rachel looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Chloe crossed her arms, there was a stern expression on her face.

"I think I should be the one to ask that. What are you doing here?"

"I asked first" Rachel got up from the couch and faced Chloe. "Then tell me. What are you doing here so early? It's about ten in the morning."

Chloe was silent for a few moments before letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Remember what I told you about Max?" Her voice was soft.

Rachel quickly put two and two together, and her expression softened at that revelation.

"Did you come to see her? Here? Where is she?"

The blonde began to look around and Chloe could tell that Rachel seemed a little desperate, almost excited to find what she was looking for.

"You'll see her soon" Chloe said as she dropped her arms to her sides. "But now I want you to answer my question. What are you doing here?"

Rachel stopped her search and turned to Chloe. The blonde was a little nervous, but managed to hide it from the bluenette.

"Well, someone told me to come."

The punk raised an eyebrow. "Someone?"

"Yes. Someone."

Chloe shifted her weight from one foot to the other and crossed her arms again.

"And why would someone ask you to come here at this time?"

"I don't know, ok?!" snapped Rachel, who soon regretted her sudden outburst. "Sorry, sorry, it's... it's hard to explain."

There was a little silence, and Chloe did not have to think long to understand the situation.

"I don't think it's necessary to explain it."

"What?"

"I think I know who asked you to come."

"Oh, yeah? Who?" Rachel challenged her.

Chloe's gaze turned serious, something the blonde did not see much, for not to say never.

"Sera, your mother."

That made Rachel surprised and nervous, but she tried not to show it. The blonde then gave a little nervous giggle and tried to be confident.

"My mother? You must be drugged, Chloe, you know she left a few yea-"

"Don't keep acting, Rachel" Chloe interrupted, "I know you've been keeping in contact with your mother since she left."

Rachel's eyes widened as she heard what Chloe said; it was clear to the blonde that continuing to act would be a waste of time and talent, so Rachel tried to calm down a bit.

"...How do you know?" Rachel asked carefully.

Chloe let out a sigh, she looked angry.

"It's a long story that I would not like to tell now" The bluenette paused. "Why didn't you tell me about Sera? Why did you hide it for me?"

"Because... Because she asked me to do it, Chloe" Rachel said in a soft voice, aware of her friend's anger. "She told me many things, among them, that I shouldn't let anyone know that I was still in contact with her, especially my father."

Chloe snorted and clenched her jaw. She was angry, but deep down she knew that Sera must have her reasons for saying such things to Rachel.

Strangely, that reminded her of Max.

Max had also disappeared, but not on her own, and she had her reasons for not showing up for 5 years. Maybe Sera had a similar case considering all that hunter thing, but Chloe did not understand why she still in contact with her daughter; ince the prospect of Chloe, that seemed stupid and risky.

But she decided to put those thoughts away for now, she had something more important to do now.

"Okay, then we'll talk about that" Chloe said, trying to relax. "Now, tell me, why did your mother ask you to come to the junkyard?"

Rachel sighed. "I don't know. She only asked me to come here in the morning and wait for someone who was not you, and that if it was necessary, I should wait until nightfall."

"Ok, that's really weird" Although Chloe sensed who could be that someone Sera was talking about.

"Believe me, I know."

Both girls were silent for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts. It was not long before Chloe spoke, and Rachel noticed a strange tone of amusement when the bluenette spoke.

"Do you know something, Rach? With all this confrontation I forgot what I was doing from the beginning, so I would like you to see one thing" said Chloe with a small smile.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, skeptical. She knew that anything Chloe Price planned could not be any good.

"What do you want me to see?" Rachel asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously toward Chloe.

The punk turned around and started walking out of the shelter, looking for a moment over her shoulder to tell the blonde:

"Come and you will find out."

Rachel could not help being curious about whatever Chloe wanted to show her, so she followed her friend closely. Chloe led them to the center of the junkyard, where the bluenette turned to the blonde with a bigger smile than a few seconds ago.

"What the crazy shit are you planning now, Price?" Rachel teased, showing a small smile.

"Oh, nothing, I just wanted to show you that I told the truth."

Rachel inclined her head, confused. "Uh, what?"

"Do you remember that story I've been telling you since I left the woods a few years ago?" Chloe seemed animated.

"How to forget it, you've been telling me that story for so long that now I know it by heart."

"Do you remember that giant brown wolf I mentioned in that story?"

"Yes" Rachel lengthened the syllable more than usual.

"Well..." Chloe smiled broadly.

The bluenette then whistled melodically, confusing the blonde. It was not more than 5 seconds before a big blue-eyed brown wolf appeared in front of Rachel; apparently the wolf was hiding somewhere waiting for a signal to leave. The sudden appearance of the animal made Rachel scream in surprise and fall on her backside.

Chloe's laughter began to reach Rachel's ears little by little.

"Oh, my god, you should have seen your face" laughed Chloe. The bluenette approached with a toothy smile to the wolf and began to caress the muzzle of the animal. "Well done, babe."

That made Rachel come back to reality.

"Babe?... What the fuck, Chloe?! Why do you call an animal like that?!" Rachel exclaimed, apparently terrified.

Chloe and the wolf looked at Rachel. The punk was still smiling.

"Because this 'animal' is an old friend."

Rachel only frowned in confusion as Chloe dismissed the wolf, who walked to some area of the junkyard. The bluenette approached the blonde and offered her a hand, Rachel accepted it and Chloe helped her friend get up from the floor.

"What the hell was that, Chloe?" Rachel asked as she shook the dirt from her jeans and then looked at Chloe. "And what did you mean that that wolf is an old friend?"

"Just wait and you'll see" Chloe smiled, but that smile soon disappeared. "But don't think I've forgotten what you said in the shelter, we still have to talk about that."

Just a minute later, while Chloe and Rachel were discuss, a figure jumped on the roof of one of the old cars near the girls. The bluenette and the blonde turned to the sound of the metal being dented.

Rachel then saw a girl with long brown hair sitting on the roof of the old car; she had one leg bent over the ceiling, one arm resting on the knee of that leg. The other leg was swinging distractedly over the edge of the roof, and the blonde could not ignore the fact that the girl was barefoot.

"So you must be Rachel" said the brunette.

"...Who are you?" Rachel asked carefully.

The brunette showed a small satisfied smile.

"I think you should have already heard about me. I'm Max."

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise and then she turned to Chloe, who was just smiling. Then the bluenette walked to the car where the brunette was and offered Max a hand to help her down. Max smiled at Chloe and gladly took the hand of the punk, who helped her get out of the car.

"That gentlemanly of you" joked Max while looking at Chloe. Their hands never parted.

"Uh, can anyone tell me what's going on here?" Rachel's voice brought the other two girls to reality.

Max and Chloe turned to Rachel and let go of their hands. The brunette watched impassively the blonde, while the bluenette looked between the other two girls.

"Did you see that big brown wolf?" Max asked suddenly.

"How not to see it. That beast jumped on me."

The brunette growled under her breath, and Chloe put a hand on Max's shoulder to calm her down, something that seemed to work. The punk looked at the blonde with a stern expression.

"Rach, it's better to watch your words."

That seemed to confuse Rachel. "What are you talking about?"

"That big brown wolf was me" Max said through clenched teeth. She managed to endure the urge to call Rachel 'bitch'.

"You must be delirious. Those things don't exist" said Rachel with a raised eyebrow.

"Look at me well. Look at the scar I have on the bridge of my nose. That you remember something?"

Rachel looked more closely at Max's face, noticing for the first time the scar the brunette had. The blonde vaguely remembered seeing a similar scar on that wolf's snout, and the fact that Max's hair color and eye color were the same as the wolf did not make things better for Rachel.

Rachel's eyes widened at the understanding.

"That's impossible" Rachel whispered.

"I could show you more evidence, but I really dont feel like it" Max said as she shrugged.

The blonde looked at the bluenette for answers.

"Chloe, please tell me this is a joke."

Chloe shook her head. "It's not, Rachel."

"If you want to know more, you'll have to wait" Max said as she crossed her arms, attracting the attention of the other girls. "Right now we have a problem, and we need your help."

At that moment, Chloe remembered what Max had told her in the cabin; the brunette had an idea of how Rachel could help them, but decided not to tell the bluenette at that time. Chloe expected Max to say what she had in mind now.

"M-My help?" Chloe was surprised to hear Rachel stammering. That wasn't seen every day.

"Yes. Without your help, it will be impossible to achieve what I have planned."

Chloe looked at Max curiously and Rachel also looked at her, seemingly expectantly, telling the brunette to continue.

"There is someone at the Blackwell Academy whom we need to watch, but neither Chloe nor I can get close to the campus, it would be very suspicious. That's why we need a person from within, one who can walk around Blackwell without raising suspicion."

"So, you want me to be a spy?"

"More or less, yes."

Rachel looked nowhere, thinking about what she should do. All this had been so sudden for her; Max suddenly appears in front of her and reveals that she is apparently the brown wolf of Chloe's stories, and also asks for her help. The brunette's scar, eyes and hair were indicative enough that she was actually that wolf, but that she suddenly appeared only to ask for the help of the blonde was very strange. That, to Rachel, seemed too good to be true, it was worthy of a Hollywood movie.

But Rachel did not have many options. If Max asked her for help, even without knowing her well, then it must be something important to her... and to Chloe.

Rachel then realized that Max was talking all the time in the plural, apparently talking about her and Chloe.

Chloe was also in trouble? Rachel did not know, and she did not want to know the answer either.

So Rachel looked back at Max and decided to end this matter.

"Who must I watch?"

Max and Chloe were surprised to hear those words come out of Rachel's mouth; Chloe knew that sometimes it was difficult, if not impossible, for the blonde to agree to do something for a stranger, and Max had some vague backup plans in case the blonde declined, but apparently it was not going to be necessary.

Then Max decided to talk.

"To a guy named Mark Jefferson. Do you know him?"

"Know him? He teaches photography in Blackwell, but..." Rachel hesitated to say the following. "But my mother told me long ago to stay away from him, not to try to approach him. I suppose the fact that you ask me to watch him has something to do, right?"

"Yes. In fact, it has a lot to do with it."

"But why do you want me to watch him?"

"It's a long story" Chloe joined the conversation, "but I promise to tell you everything later, Rachel. Now we need you to do what Max asked you to do, and if I remember correctly, today you have photography class in the afternoon."

"Shit, sometimes I forget you memorized my class schedule, Chloe."

Chloe showed a small smile. "It helps a lot."

"Well, back to where we were" Max interrupted, "could you do it, Rachel? Could you keep an eye on Mark Jefferson?"

Rachel looked at Max and saw that the brunette looked pleading; apparently Jefferson's theme had a lot of weight on that girl.

"I will" Rachel promised.

Max even had the courage to smile slightly. "Thank you."

"But, to clarify things, exactly what do you want me to watch over him?"

"Everything" Max suddenly became serious again. "If he does something out of the ordinary, if he goes to some strange place, that kind of thing, especially if it has to do with wolves."

"Wolves?"

"Another story for another time" Chloe said shaking her hand. "Now it's better that you go back to Blackwell, you don't want to miss more classes."

Rachel looked at Chloe in astonishment and smiled broadly, apparently forgetting the whole subject they were talking about.

"Does Chloe Price ask me to return to classes? Now that's a surprise" said the blonde, amused.

"Oh, shut up" Chloe replied with a smile, "you know why I say it. By the way, do you want me to give you a lift to Blackhell? "

"Nah, it's not necessary. I came here with my parents' car, they came back yesterday from their trip."

"Well then."

"Well, I think it's better that I go" Rachel said as she turned around. 

"Rachel, wait" Max called, causing the blonde to look over her shoulder. "Don't tell anyone you've seen me, don't say you've seen a wolf either. That... it would be very problematic."

"Don't worry, I will not say anything" Rachel said. "And I guess we'll see each other later, Chloe. Oh, and it was a pleasure to meet you at last, Max."

Rachel walked to the junkyard exit while Max and Chloe watched her walk away. When the blonde was out of earshot, Max muttered something.

"I'm sorry to say that the feeling is not mutual."

Chloe then looked at Max. "You really will not let it go, right?" Her voice was soft, free of accusations.

"No. At least not for now" Max's expression turned to displeasure. "That girl and her mother really smell almost the same, I'm not surprised by the physical resemblance they have."

"And they have more similarities than that, to be honest."

Then Chloe stood in front of Max and smiled affectionately, making the brunette's expression soften and let her arms hang from the sides.

"What?" Max asked.

Chloe giggled. "Nothing, I was just watching you. I'm surprised you've come up with that plan to keep that guy Mark Jefferson under surveillance so quickly."

"I was thinking about it this morning while you were asleep" Max said with a smile.

"I should have imagined it" laughed Chloe.

Then the bluenette took both hands of the brunette and the girls entwined their fingers as if doing it was the most normal. Chloe saw Max with a smile, and the brunette returned the gesture.

"What is the great Chloe Price planning now?"

"Fuck, do you really not read minds?" Chloe teased, making Max laugh. "But I was planning something big, something that will require your intervention."

Max raised an eyebrow, amused and curious about whatever Chloe planned.

"Oh, yeah? And what is?"

"Don't plan anything for tonight, Max Caulfield."

"Why?"

Chloe smiled broadly and pulled Max into a hug. The brunette hid her face in the hollow of the bluenette's neck and the latter hid her face in Max's hair; that was becoming common among them. Both girls hugged each other tightly, as if they were afraid that the other would suddenly disappear.

Neither Chloe nor Max wanted that to happen.

"Because I plan on keeping a promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After everything that happened in this chapter, I don't know if the "Slow Burn" tag is valid. I'm sorry, I just wanted those girls to be happy for at least a moment. They really deserve it after all the events of Life is Strange and Farewell :')


	10. Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really regret the wait, during this last week I have also been busy. Next week will also be a little bit moving for me; the exams are about to start and I probably don't have much time to update the story, but this week I'll try to update more often.
> 
> In addition to that I have begun to write another story of Life is Strange, and I have many things planned for her. But I will not leave unattended 'Howling at the moon', I promise.
> 
> And as compensation for the wait, here I bring another chapter of 7,000 words. There is a lot of feeling in this chapter, so enjoy.

In a park somewhere in the forest, the happy laughter of the children flooded the playground, it was almost deafening. The parents watched their children closely, others did it from afar, but everyone was very aware of anything that could happen to the children. The area was surrounded by large leafy trees that only let the sunlight through the tiny holes between their leaves, and the pines around the place also did their job of not letting the sun's rays reach the playground. Even so there was enough light to be able to see clearly, besides it wasn't as hot as in the town due to the shade that the trees gave; at least the tall pines were good for something.

A little girl ran happily around the playground of that park; she passed by a slide, then next to a carousel, then near the seesaw and finally stopped at the swings, which were her favorite part of the park. The little girl climbed with some difficulty to one of them and began to swing slightly with the help of her legs. A small smile adorned her face.

Suddenly, she felt strange, or rather, she felt something strange.

When the little girl looked up and observed the area around her, she quickly realized that something was wrong, because the whole place was desolate, the children and parents had disappeared and the whole area seemed to have lost its color because everything now It seemed to be several shades of gray.

It seemed as if she had been frozen in time.

But then, suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the little girl. It was a woman. The long brown hair came down to the middle of her back and a few strands of hair dotted her face, but a big smile adorned her face, and her blue eyes met those of the little girl.

A blue butterfly appeared out of nowhere and began to flit about the place. That little animal, along with the woman, seemed to be the only things that had color in a gray world. At one point, the insect seemed to stop its flutter to start flying in a straight line through the woman and the little girl. When the beautiful blue butterfly stopped in the middle of the woman and the girl, an arrow shot out from nowhere and took the butterfly.

The girl, frightened by what she had just witnessed, followed with her eyes the trajectory of the arrow and saw that it had been stuck in a tree, with the blue butterfly caught between the shiny metal of the arrowhead and the tree. The poor animal was probably already dead, but even so his still flashed that vibrant and beautiful blue color.

When the little girl turned her head to the front, she fell backwards from the swing and gave a cry of terror at what she saw.

The woman was right in front of her, separated only inches away, but her smile was gone, replaced by an expression of deep sadness. One of her eyes had an arrow stuck deep into him, and blood spilled like a waterfall around that eye. Her other eye was no longer that hypnotic blue, but now it was a duller blue, almost gray. The woman's shirt was torn at the side of her abdomen, revealing a large bleeding wound.

The girl was now terrified, with that image of that woman now permanently engraved on her head.

The woman then slowly closed her eye and let herself fall, landing with a thud on the floor. That showed another woman, this time with blonde hair, standing behind the one that had just fallen. Her dark gray eyes glared at the little girl, who was so terrified she could not move.

It was then that the blonde woman raised her hand, apparently holding a kind of weapon; a loaded crossbow, and with it pointed to the chest of the little girl...

...and then shot.

* * *

**July 19, 2012**

Max woke up screaming, sitting up straight on the bed and holding her head with her hands. Her eyes were wide open with fear and a cold sweat ran down her forehead and up to her neck. The brunette lowered her gaze to her chest and instinctively took off her sleeveless shirt and began desperately to examine her torso with her hands for injuries. When she didn't find anything, she relaxed a little and left her hands on her lap, also dropping her head. A few tears slid down her cheeks and fell into her lap.

With a bit of difficulty due to the weakness she felt at that moment, Max put her hands on her shoulders and began to tear them sharply with her sharp nails, leaving superficial and somewhat deep wounds and making it bleed a little, but Max couldn't to care less at a time like that.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside Max's room. It was then that the door to the room opened, revealing a woman.

"Maxi?" Astrid asked softly.

Max did not respond and kept hurting herself. Astrid frowned worriedly and approached the brunette slowly, as if afraid to scare her. When Astrid reached the foot of the bed, she sat on it carefully and tried to turn most of her body back to Max.

"Maxi" The woman called with a soft voice. "Please stop."

The sound of the scratches began to decay little by little until it stopped completely. Max had stopped, but still with her head down and her hands on her shoulders.

"That's it, sweetie, that's it..."

Astrid slowly brought her hands up to Max's and tried to take those of the brunette, but when the woman's fingers almost touched the back of Max's hands, the latter leaned back a little, apparently frightened.

"It's okay, Maxi. It's me... Astrid" The woman said softly.

Max seemed to relax a little because of those words, and little by little she began to lean forward until she let Astrid's hands touch hers. The woman then tenderly took the brunette's hands and gently pulled them away from her shoulders, carrying them into Max's lap.

"Maxi, look at me" Astrid's voice was still soft, not demanding at all.

The brunette then looked up with difficulty and her blue eyes met Astrid's green eyes. The woman could not see Max's face well, but she knew that the poor thing had not stopped crying, because she could see the tears flowing freely from her eyes, sliding down her cheeks until they reached her chin.

Astrid gave Max's hands a gentle squeeze and then let go of them so she could tenderly brush the brown strands from the brunette's face. Astrid cupped Max's cheeks and tenderly wiped the brunette's tears with her thumbs. It was then that the woman smiled reassuringly at Max in an attempt to calm her down.

"That's it, much better. "

Max looked at her lap, refusing to look directly at Astrid, making the smile on the woman's face disappear.

Although the brunette knew that Astrid was trying to help her, at that moment she did not want to think about anything, she just wanted the pain to disappear.

She felt... numb.

Then Astrid removed her hands from Max's cheeks and, instead, put her arms around the brunette and pulled her into a hug. Astrid did not give a shit that Max was topless at the time; she just wanted to comfort Max and nothing would stop her.

Sooner than later, Astrid felt Max return the embrace feebly, but little by little the brunette began to tighten the woman more and more, practically clinging to her. It was not long before Max began to sob audibly as more tears fell from her eyes, slightly staining Astrid's leather jacket. Max then started screaming, trying desperately to get everything out of herself, and Astrid tried to comfort her by running her hands down the back of the brunette.

At one point, Astrid gave Max a small kiss on the head; it hurt the woman immensely to see the young woman in that state.

"Everything will be fine, Maxi" Astrid whispered tenderly in Max's ear. "Everything will be fine..."

But even that could not stop the screams of despair, pain and sadness emanating from Max. Astrid could only hope that her words would come true at some point in the life of the brunette.

That same night, neither Max nor Astrid slept.

* * *

**October 22, 2013**

The noise in the corridors of the Blackwell Academy could sometimes be deafening, but it was not that Rachel affected her much. Yes, all the noise was annoying, but what do you expect from a closed place full of teenagers? In the end it was a matter of getting used to it.

While Rachel was walking through one of Blackwell's corridors, she saw out of the corner of her eye several things that were common in that place; a poor boy being harassed by the athletes, the nerd girl hypnotized by whatever she had on her cell phone, the small group that believed the best of the school.

Yes, it looked like the typical teen movie.

But that was Arcadia Bay, and in that little town you could not demand anything unless you had your pockets full of money. A pity that Victoria Chase was one of the lucky ones. But Rachel was not far behind; being the daughter of the District Attorney brought many advantages, and money became a minor concern for the blonde, although in reality she was not a person who liked to go shopping. If Rachel got something in her wardrobe that she liked, she simply combined it with another piece of clothing, put on some accessories and a little makeup and that was enough for her.

Maybe Chloe had influenced her a lot in that regard.

_ Chloe... _

Rachel could not help but think about everything that had happened that morning. Her mother asking her to go to the junkyard to wait for someone who probably did not even exist, the sudden appearance of Max and her great secret...

Rachel was surprised at how quickly she accepted the fact that that old friend that Chloe talked about for the past 5 years ended up being, apparently, a werewolf. The blonde had tried to force herself not to believe in that, that all that of werewolf was just a big, well-planned joke on Chloe's part.

But the bluenette was too vague to work so hard on a simple joke.

So, was it real? Rachel did not know what to answer, but the evidence Max had shown was apparently enough to indicate to the blonde that, in fact, everything was real. And that favor that that brunette had asked, to watch one of Blackwell's most prodigious and beloved teachers... That had turned everything around.

There must have been a reason why both Max and Chloe needed to keep an eye on Mark Jefferson, but Rachel was not sure if she wanted to know the answer. The guy already did not like her, she always noticed something strange about him, and it was a relief that her mother warned her about Jefferson from the beginning; that had helped Rachel more than she imagined.

But now, when Rachel stopped in front of her locker to save some books from her previous class, the bell rang. The blonde had to go to her last class of the day: photography. It would not be the first time she would enter a little scared, or rather worried.

"Hello, Rachel."

A soft voice that came from her left interrupted Rachel's thoughts, causing the blonde to look in the direction from which the voice came and meet the smiling face of Kate Marsh. Rachel smiled back at her friend.

"Hey, Katie."

Kate gave a small giggle. "Still with that nickname?"

"What? It's nice" Rachel said as she shrugged, still smiling and closing her locker. "Besides, that nickname is fine with you."

Kate just shook her head, still smiling.

"I don't know how you came to that conclusion" Kate said between giggles. "Anyway, we have class. Come on?"

Thank God Rachel was a good actress, not to say incredible, because she had to force her smile the moment she heard Kate's words.

"Sure. Guide the way."

Kate then started walking, followed closely by Rachel. When both girls entered the classroom and sat next to each other at the back table, Rachel began to wonder what she was thinking at the time she agreed to act as a spy.

* * *

The bell rang, indicating the end of the class. All the students rushed to collect their things and began to leave the room, neither paying attention to what Mr. Jefferson said; everything a teacher said after the bell rang did not matter. Kate and Rachel went their separate ways, but as usual, they would talk later through text messages. Although it was outstanding the fact that one of the students who hurried the most was Rachel; being in the same place that the guy never liked the blonde, made her feel bad, but she didn't know exactly why she felt that kind of sensations.

Until that day.

That was the only class in which Rachel really paid attention to Jefferson, and she had to admit that the man really knew what he was talking about. But you only needed to read between the lines to notice certain things.

 _"You guys should take advantage of the fact that you live literally next to nature"_ Jefferson had said.   _"The forests around the campus offer many opportunities for photography, all of you could even experiment taking pictures during the different seasons of the year.  Arcadia Bay really changes during the autumn, that season makes it all look more beautiful."_

_"Would not that be weird?_   _I think it's better to take pictures during the summer or spring"_ A student had intervened.

_"Ask a professional photographer at what time of year it is better to take pictures and it is more likely that he will answer the same thing that I said;  the autumn. Also, during that time you guys can also experiment."_

_ "Like what?"_   Another student had asked.

_"The forests.  The different tonalities that the leaves of the trees, the climate, the animals. Everything comes together to create wonders for photographers. Most likely, all of you will meet a variety of animals that are worth photographing during that season; squirrels, birds, wolves, deers-"_

_"Uh, Mr. Jefferson"_ Kate had interrupted, surprisingly, because the girl did not usually participate actively during the classes, she used to be who only saw and heard, _"there are no wolves in Arcadia Bay._ _ " _

_"Oh"_ At that moment, Jefferson had taken a long pause.   _"Yes, yes, you're right, Miss Marsh.  I think I got excited and started to ramble, I really love the autumn and forests of Arcadia Bay... They are beautiful."_

It did not take a genius to notice the condescension with which Mark Jefferson has spoken, and Rachel had noticed it since she started going to his classes. Although the most striking thing for her was the exhaustive mention of the Arcadia Bay forests and the wolves.

Wolves.

Max had asked the blonde to watch for any strange behavior that came from Jefferson, especially if he mentioned something related to wolves. If Max had not told her that, Rachel would probably have overlooked many things, and that scared her. What happened between Max, Chloe and Mark Jefferson?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she fell on her back to the floor; she had collided head-on with someone while walking.

"Shit!" A male voice exclaimed, apparently with concern. "Are you okay, Rach?"

An outstretched hand appeared in the vision of Rachel, who gladly took it. The boy helped her up, even bent down to pick up a few notebooks that the blonde had dropped in the crash and give them to her. Rachel gave the boy a small smile.

"I'm fine, Nathan, although I can't say the same about my ass" Rachel teased.

Nathan Prescott giggled. "Yes, that was a pretty tough fall. I didn't see you go by and I couldn't stand aside, but you were totally spaced, Rachel, I had never seen you like that before."

"Oh... Yes, I'm sorry. I've had a lot of things in my head lately, and I think they're taking a toll on me" Rachel said as she massaged one of her temples with one hand.

"I know the feeling" Nathan replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Rachel then got a little firmer when she heard that comment come out of Nathan's mouth.

"How are things going with your father?" The blonde asked softly.

"Hmph, as always" The boy said as he shrugged. "He still cares more about money than me."

Rachel's expression softened instantly.

"I'm sorry" She said it with total sincerity.

That at least managed to make Nathan show a small smile.

"Thank you, Rachel" Nathan sighed before continuing, apparently with renewed spirits. "Anyway, I think that thanks to this small incident I was able to say hello. I wish I could talk more time with you, but I really have to leave. See you tomorrow?"

"Yes, sure. See you later, Nathan" Rachel waved with her hand as Nathan started to leave.

"Goodbye, Rach" Nathan waved back, heading toward the bedrooms.

Rachel watched Nathan for a few seconds before turning to the parking lot and start walking towards there.

As soon as the blonde had set foot on the asphalt, she could not help but be surprised to see an old and rusty truck parked next to her car. It was also a surprise that the vehicle was well parked and not in places for the disabled, but Rachel's attention was diverted to the blue-haired girl who was leaning against the driver's door of that truck, smoking.

The bluenette apparently had not bothered to choose what to wear, because she was wearing only a white sleeveless shirt with the logo of some unknown rock band for Rachel, some worn gray jeans and her usual combat boots, but the iconic dark blue skullcap was missing. That wasn't normal, but the blonde decided not to take it importance as she approached her friend.

"Hey, Rach" Chloe greeted.

"Hey, Chlo" Rachel waved back. "What are you doing here?"

Chloe took one last drag of her cigarette before grabbing it and throwing it onto the asphalt, stepping on it with the heel of her boot to put it out. The bluenette let out the smoke through her nose before speaking.

"I came to look for you."

"Looking for me?" The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Yes" The bluenette paused a little and sighed. "We have many things to talk about."

Rachel was the one who sighed. What had she gotten herself into?

"Good" Rachel said as she started walking towards her car. "Let's go to my house, there we can-"

"Actually" Chloe's voice stopped the blonde, who looked over her shoulder at the bluenette, "we better go to the junkyard. "

Rachel frowned at that and turned completely towards Chloe.

"Why there?"

The bluenette was silent for a few moments before answering.

"Because not only will you and I speak, that will have to be later."

Chloe did not give Rachel time to answer, for she opened the door on the driver's side of the truck and climbed in, closing the door behind her. The bluenette stuck her head out the door window.

"Do you want me to take you?"

"No" Rachel replied immediately, though some anger leaked into her voice. "I will go to my house to leave my things and I will see you there."

This time it was Rachel who did not give Chloe time to respond, going directly to the driver's side door of her car and entering it, closing the door with perhaps more force than required.

Chloe and Rachel ignited the engines of their vehicles almost at the same time. The blonde came out first from the parking lot, followed closely by Chloe.

* * *

Rachel's car stopped beside Chloe's already parked truck at the entrance of the American Rust. The bluenette waited by her truck, just as she had at Blackwell. The blonde then got out of her car and approached Chloe, who nodded towards the concrete structure that both girls knew very well. Then both girls started walking towards the shelter, and no words were shared at any time, it was not necessary. At least not at that moment.

But when they were a few meters from the shelter, Rachel could hear voices coming from inside.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"In the end we'll have to do it, there's no point in delaying it."

The blonde could distinguish one of the voices, had heard it earlier in the morning, but she could not distinguish the other voice. It was not until Chloe and Rachel took a few steps inside the shelter that the doubts of the blonde about whom those voices belonged were answered.

That brunette she had seen a few hours ago was there, leaning against the concrete wall in front of her and with her arms crossed, watching her. The girl wore the same attire as when she had met her, but this time she was wearing something else; a dark blue skullcap.  _So there it was..._ , Rachel thought a little angry, but when her hazel eyes crossed with Max's blue eyes the blonde could notice that in them there was more anger than what she felt at that moment. Or maybe she had imagined it?

Anyway, Rachel had to take her eyes off the brunette, finding a pair of green eyes from a woman standing near Max. At least she had her hands in the pockets of her torn jeans and her posture did not seem so tense in comparison with the brunette's. Of course, the blonde did not go unnoticed by the fact that this woman wore a brown jacket worn with nothing underneath, in addition to also walking barefoot, like Max.

"So you managed to get her back" The woman's voice brought Rachel out of her thoughts.

"What? Did you think I wouldn't make it with my charms?" Chloe joked as she shrugged.

The woman showed a small toothy smile. "Dear, here the lovely woman is me."

"In that she's right" Max joined the conversation, smiling to herself.

Chloe laughed softly and gestured to Rachel with her hand, inviting her to sit on one of the puff cushions that were scattered around the place. The blonde sat reluctantly, while Chloe approached Max and playfully took off her the skullcap and then put it on. The brunette saw her during those seconds with a smile.

"Well, leaving that aside, you must be Rachel Amber" The woman said as she looked at the blonde again. "I can't say it's nice to meet you, but I'm Astrid."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, confused by what Astrid said. The blonde could not help but remember her first encounter with Max, because the attitude of the brunette had been very similar to that of that woman.

"Well, enough of presentations, I've had enough for a day. Why do you want me here?" Rachel asked, her annoyance beginning to show.

"We just want to talk, leave some things clear. That's all" Astrid replied.

"Like what? About why chose me, of all people, to act as a spy?"

"We did it because we can't trust anyone else" interrupted Max, who refused to meet Rachel's eyes. All eyes were on the brunette. "Chloe has known you for a long time, and your mother had said you could help us. I think she meant this, because I don't see any other way you can do it."

Rachel couldn't help frowning at Max, several emotions passing through the blonde; confusion, anger, consternation. Rachel ended up standing up, her hands clenched into fists.

"My mother?" Rachel asked slowly. "Do you know her?"

Max huffed. "First hand."

Astrid looked worriedly at Max, and Chloe did the same with Rachel.

"How do you know her?"

Max finally looked Rachel in the eyes, and the blonde couldn't help but feel a chill to see a murderous rage in those blue eyes, but she managed to conceal that nothing was wrong.

The brunette was going to say something, but stopped when she saw someone appear in the doorway through which Chloe and Rachel had passed. The others followed Max's gaze and no one could hide the surprise at seeing who had arrived.

Sera Gearhardt was standing in the doorway, a white dress and shoes of the same color was all she was wearing. The blond woman did not ignore the look of hatred the brunette gave her, but her attention was focused on Rachel, who was looking at her with wide eyes.

"...Mom?" The blonde's voice was about to break.

Sera gave a smile to her daughter, who immediately ran to hug her. They had not seen each other for a long time, it was normal for Rachel to feel that way.

However, seeing that scene happen before her eyes, Max couldn't help but grimace and look away with her eyes gone. The brunette didn't know if feel dislike, anger, or maybe both emotions together when she thought that she could never have a moment like the one that Sera and Rachel were sharing. Feeling the hug of a mother had become nonexistent for Max since her life changed... And knowing that the person responsible for it was only a few meters away from her did nothing to help her situation.

Chloe and Astrid shared a look, and that was enough to know that they were both thinking the same thing. The bluenette put one arm around Max's shoulders and pulled the brunette in, causing the shorter girl to lean against the shoulder of the taller one. Max relaxed a little, and Astrid smiled when she noticed the brunette relaxing.

Rachel then separated a bit from Sera, looking at her with tears in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked.

Chloe and Astrid looked at the pair of blondes. Max did not bother to see either of them, for her it was enough just listen, and she just wanted to concentrate on the bluenette's consolation attempt.

"Years ago I wanted to see you again, Rachel, and this was an opportunity I couldn't miss" Sera smiled, but when she turned to the other women, her smile disappeared, replaced by a melancholy expression. "I also wanted to be able to talk to all of you."

"We have nothing to talk about."

Max's voice sounded angry, and Rachel could not help but look at the brunette with confusion. That girl was starting to annoy the blonde.

"You don't have to say that, Maxine" Rachel replied.

Max pulled away from Chloe, snarling, and glared at Rachel.

"Shut your mouth, Amber, you don't know nothing. Nothing!" Max exclaimed.

"Max, calm down" Chloe said softly, trying to touch the brunette's shoulder.

Max did not let Chloe touch her, as she started to walk to the other entrance to the shelter. She spoke while walking:

"This was a mistake" That was the only thing that was heard saying Max while she leaving the shelter.

Astrid sighed, and when Chloe tried to follow Max, the dark haired woman stopped her.

"Let her go, Chloe. We'll go find her later" said Astrid, who then turned to Sera. "What did you want to talk about with us?"

Sera separated a little more from Rachel, watching Astrid.

"I wanted to let you know about something related to Mark Jefferson" Rachel was not very surprised to hear her mother talk about that man. "I discovered that he works with another group of hunters. The Prescott."

Chloe and Rachel's eyes widened in surprise, though for different reasons.

"Hunters?" Rachel asked.

"Prescott?" Chloe asked.

Astrid looked between the bluenette and the blonde woman, and she had to admit that she felt a little out of place with everything happening around her.

Sera then looked at her daughter.

"Do you know what Max really is?"

That question did not need to be explained; Rachel already sensed what her mother meant.

"Yes... I know, but I still can't believe that those things really exist."

"Hey, those 'things' also have feelings" interrupted Astrid.

The blonde looked at the dark haired woman, examining her with her eyes.

"You too?" Rachel asked.

Astrid just nodded, and the blonde turned to her mother, who was still looking at her.

"Mom, why are you asking me about Max? What are those hunters you are talking about?"

"Those hunters hunt those who are like Max; they hunt werewolves" Sera said, and she made a small silence, averting her gaze. "I... I was a hunter, a long time ago, even before you were born, Rachel."

It did not take Rachel very long to get two and two together, and she soon understood what her mother said between the lines; she had hunted those who were like Max and Astrid, and it was not hard to guess that she had killed them.

That was a big low blow for Rachel.

"That's why you had to leave..., isn't it?" Rachel said in a whisper, loud enough for only Sera to hear it, though Astrid had also. "You said you had done something you should not, and you couldn't stay longer in Arcadia Bay... Did that have to do with this? With the hunters?"

The tone Rachel used was soft, but none of the women there was missing the glimpse of pain in the blonde's voice.

"Yes..." Sera said under her breath, trying to look at her daughter, but without much success. "I made a serious mistake, something I should never have done, and now I regret it... It was dangerous for me as well as for you that I stay in Arcadia Bay, and that's why I had to flee. It's not something I'm proud of."

Astrid could hear repentance in Sera's voice, but the dark-haired woman could not help but feel some resentment for the blond woman. What that woman had done to Max... That had left consequences to the brunette, and Astrid was not someone to forgive so easily. Astrid knew that the girl had every right to be angry, but Max would have to learn to control herself if she wanted Rachel to help them. That would be something the dark-haired woman would have to talk to the brunette afterwards.

It was a surprise that Rachel was going to hug her mother after that revelation, no one expected that to happen. But the blonde hugged Sera hard, and the latter returned the hug with the same intensity.

There was a moment when Chloe's gaze met Sera's, and the words were not necessary for the bluenette to express what she thought at that moment.

_'When will you tell her about Max's mother?'_

That question did not need to be said out loud; Sera could see it printed on Chloe's face, but the blonde woman didn't know what to answer to the bluenette.

Several minutes passed until Sera and Rachel separated, both on the verge of tears. Chloe was responsible for diverting the conversation towards something more important and not so emotional.

"Sera, you had mentioned the Prescott. What do they have to do with all this?"

Chloe's tone was serious, and Sera soon turned to the bluenette.

"I discovered that Jefferson has been working with the Prescott for a long time. Well, not the whole family, just some members, but the main one is Sean Prescott; He is the one who manages the threads in the family. He..." Sera swallowed audibly before continuing to speak. "He was the one who coordinated the attack, Jefferson and I were the only ones who carried it out."

No need to say more; Astrid and Chloe immediately understood what Sera was referring to. Rachel remained silent, she knew that what her mother was saying was only concerned with the other women in the room.

"Sean Prescott? The father of the rich child of Blackhell?" Chloe asked.

Sera nodded, and several questions began to wander through Rachel's mind. Was Sean Prescott also a hunter? What attack was her mother referring to? Was Nathan involved in the hunter thing, too? The blonde was not sure if she wanted to know the answers to those questions.

"That complicates everything even more" Chloe murmured. "First Jefferson and now those idiots. What's next, that Mrs. Grant also turns out to be a hunter?"

"Uh, I don't know who that Mrs. Grant you're talking about, Chloe, but I doubt there are many hunters in Arcadia Bay" interrupted Astrid. "It's been years since the werewolf population dropped to almost zero, it wouldn't make sense for the hunters to stay here."

"But Jeffershit and Prescott are still here" Chloe said.

"They must have a reason" Sera returned to join the conversation, "and I think I guess what it is."

"And what would that fucking reason be?" Chloe's tone was demanding and it sounded annoying.

Sera was silent for a few moments.

"Max."

That caused Astrid and Chloe to freeze; both stared at the blond woman. Chloe could understand that Jefferson was still following Max, she practically got out of his hands, but Sean Prescott? What did that guy want with Max? Either way, they would not achieve their purpose; Astrid and Chloe would make sure of it.

"Thank you, Sera" Astrid said suddenly, in a quiet voice. "Thanks for coming to tell us, but I will not ask how the hell you knew we were here. And I think it's better that you leave, now you have nothing to do here."

Sera understood why Astrid said that last sentence; you could tell that dark-haired woman also resented her, not just Max.

And deep down, Sera knew she deserved it.

So the blond woman started to walk towards the exit, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"You are leaving now? Just like that?" Rachel asked, her voice filled with sadness.

"I can't stay long in sight, Rachel, it's dangerous. If Jefferson or Prescott find out I'm here, you could be in danger, Max could be in danger."

That made Rachel frown.

"And why do you care so much about that girl? You don't even know her."

Sera looked at her daughter; the girl was angry, and rightly so. The blonde woman could only sigh as she closed her eyes and spoke:

"I know her well, and she knows me too... But I don't have the right to tell you what happened between her and me. Only Max can tell you" Sera opened her eyes and looked at Rachel for the last time, smiling at her. "See you later, Rachel."

That was the last thing Sera said before leaving the shelter without looking back.

Rachel stayed static instead, trying to process everything that had happened in a matter of minutes, all the revelations that had been made. It was too much for the blonde, too much to process.

The blonde turned to the bluenette, who had a steely look on her face, but Rachel knew she was not addressing her.

"Chloe, please, tell me. What happened between my mother and Max?"

Chloe sighed. "I'm not the one to tell you, Rachel. It's like Sera said; only Max can tell you."

Rachel then looked at Astrid, who immediately shook her head.

"Don't dream it, girl, I will not say a word. You'll have to ask Maxi."

The blonde sighed, she knew that she was not going to achieve anything. Rachel knew Chloe, that girl was stubborn as hell, and the blonde thought that Astrid was serious about not saying anything. If Rachel wanted to know what had happened between Sera and Max, she would have to ask the brunette directly.

It was not going to be nice, that's for sure.

"Well, I'll have to ask" said Rachel, who sat up quickly. "But it will not be today, there have already been too many revelations for a day. Now I just want to go and rest for a while."

Astrid approached Rachel and placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, who looked over her shoulder at the woman.

"Come on, girl, I'll accompany you to the exit."

"And Chloe?"

"Don't worry, Rach, I'm not leaving here yet. I have to do some things."

The blonde watched the bluenette for a few moments before shrugging her shoulders and starting to walk towards the refuge exit, followed closely by Astrid.

Chloe soon left the refuge by the other exit, and did not need to walk much to find Max. The brunette was sitting on the roof of a car that had seen better days. Max's feet swayed slightly on the edge of the car's roof, and her gaze was fixed on the ground, a slight frown filling her face.

"Hey, Max" Chloe called softly.

The brunette looked up to see Chloe, but soon returned to her previous position.

"Hey, Chloe" Max answered without much desire.

"Did you hear everything?"

Max nodded slightly. Chloe approached the car where Max was and the bluenette extended a hand towards the brunette.

"Come on, Maximus, get out of there."

Chloe's tone was sweet, and Max did not take long to accept Chloe's hand and get off the roof of the car. As soon as the brunette's feet touched the ground, she practically rushed at the bluenette, hugging her. Chloe immediately returned the gesture. Max hid her face between the neck and Chloe's collarbone.

"Why can't I live in peace?" Max's words were muffled, but Chloe could hear the sadness in them. "Not only an obsessive pursues me, but also a whole family of hunters... Was not five years ago enough?"

Chloe could only hug Max more tightly; the bluenette was not good with words, she was more measured with actions than with speech, but she still tried to make an attempt.

"We'll get over it, Max, those idiots don't know what's in store for them."

Max gave a small giggle, and that was enough for Chloe to smile.

"The fearsome Chloe Price will kick them where it hurts the most."

"Give it for granted."

Both girls laughed softly. Aside from Astrid, Chloe was the only one who managed to make Max laugh even in the worst situations. Soon Chloe separated gently from Max and looked at her with a big shit smile. The brunette knew that face.

"Oh, no" said Max. "I will not give you a ride in the woods, I've already carried you a lot these last days. I think I'm going to have nightmares about that."

Chloe laughed heartily.

"Oh, come on, Super Max. Just one last ride before tonight."

Max crossed her arms, but her smile betrayed that she was not angry.

"I think I'm going to start charging you for these trips, Chlo. How do you want them so much..."

"Hey, it's not fair!" Chloe complained with false anger. "I'm poor."

Now it was Max who laughed heartily.

"I'm poorer than you, I don't have a dime, so don't complain."

"Bah, forget it. Now, can you give me a ride?"

Chloe looked at Max with her classic puppy eyes; the bluenette knew that the brunette could not resist them and used it for her own benefit. Max sighed in defeat, so she could only shrug her shoulders with a smile.

"Okay, okay, I will. Now, human or wolf?"

"Wolf!" Chloe responded immediately, excited, which made Max laugh.

"Fine. Let me go change then."

The bluenette could not help but drop a comment.

"Why don't you change right here?"

The brunette saw her with narrowed eyes. A playful smile began to form on Max's face, and Chloe was beginning to retract what she had said.

"Oh, so you're getting daring too, Price" Max said with a sensual voice intent that Chloe could say, without a doubt, that it was going well. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but that's something you'll have to win."

And with that, Max passed Chloe in the direction of the shelter. The bluenette watched her go. Her long brown hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, and Chloe was sure a blush had formed on her cheeks.

That daring Max was starting to like Chloe.

* * *

It was already night and the wind moved almost wildly the branches of the trees. The leaves that were on the ground flew out to who knows where and the cold began to become more noticeable as time passed. It was at times like that that Chloe was grateful to have a fireplace in her living room; the girl was dying of cold. The fact that the bluenette wore a shirt to sleep and shorts above the knees did not help, and she knew it, but that way she was comfortable and did not think about changing clothes.

Sooner than later, Chloe heard the front door open; Joyce had come home. The bluenette was grateful that David had a night shift, his job as security chief at Blackwell was beginning to help her.

Joyce walked from the entrance to the living room, leaving her bag on the table. The woman was surprised to see Chloe sitting in front of the fireplace. The girl was usually snoring at this time of night.

"Chloe? What are you doing still awake?"

"Hi, mom" Chloe looked over her shoulder at Joyce with a smile. "I was just waiting for you."

Joyce looked at her daughter strangely.

"Who are you and what did you do with my daughter?" Joyce asked half seriously and half jokingly.

Chloe started to stand up. "Come on, mom, I doubt the aliens want to kidnap someone like me for their experiments."

That brought a small laugh to Joyce. That really was her daughter.

"Well, you really are my Chloe. But why are you awake so early, honey? You never wait me or something like that."

A look of sadness passed over Chloe's face, but it was fleeting enough for Joyce not to notice.

"I have a surprise for you, mom."

It was all Chloe said before heading to the sliding door that led to the backyard. The bluenette opened the door and whistled melodically outside. Joyce looked at her confused.

Suddenly, a figure fell from the ceiling and landed in front of Chloe. The bluenette extended her hand and the figure took it, and Chloe then took the figure inside the house, closing the sliding door in the process.

Joyce took a few seconds to realize of who was in front.

Long hair and clothes had distracted the woman, but freckles and blue eyes had betrayed Max. The brunette saw Joyce with teary eyes, and the woman saw Max in the same way. It was not long before Max practically pounced on Joyce and hugged her. The woman returned the gesture immediately. Tears ran down Joyce's cheeks, as did Max, but this time they were tears of happiness.

Chloe watched the meeting with a smile. The bluenette could be an idiot sometimes, but she kept her promises.

Max hugged Joyce tightly. The brunette had thought during her absence that she would never see Joyce or Chloe again, but everything had changed so drastically for her. And now Max was embracing the woman she always considered a second mother...

Maybe they didn't share the same blood.

Maybe they didn't have any physical resemblance.

Maybe she didn't see her grow up since baby.

But maybe there was also a small chance that Max would feel again the hug that only a mother could give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The irony of Kate's phrase about wolves is that, if I remember correctly, in the original game there was a sign on the way to the lighthouse that warned people about the wild animals that were in the woods. Among them were the wolves... We pretend that in this story the wolves are not indicated on that sign.
> 
> Leaving that topic aside, I have to say that I suffered a bit when writing several scenes from this chapter, specifically the scenes from the beginning and the end. But there's still a lot of Max's past to see; things have not been easy for her.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks to those who have supported the story from the beginning and are still here <3 Thanks for the comments and for putting up with the wait :')


	11. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of waiting, I know and I'm sorry :') At least I have a couple of days off before the exams continue.
> 
> ...And I bring a chapter of 8,000 words.
> 
> I think I'm surpassing myself.
> 
> By the way, I'm posting this very late, so there's probably some spelling and/or grammar error, so if you see one, I'd really appreciate it if you let me know :)

** October 22, 2013 **

"You're here..." Joyce said as she parted a bit from Max, holding her by the shoulders. "You're really here."

Max could only smile in response. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, as did Joyce.

"I waited... God, I waited so long to see you again, Joyce..." Max looked over her shoulder and her gaze met Chloe's, who was smiling at her. "And to Chloe..."

Joyce wiped her tears with both hands and inspected Max more closely with her eyes. The woman then smiled.

"How much have you grown, Max. You're almost as tall as Chloe. And your hair... You've definitely changed."

"For good" Chloe interrupted as she approached her mother and Max. "She looks amazing."

"Oh, shut up" joked Max as she nudged Chloe playfully, making the bluenette laugh.

Joyce looked between her daughter and the brunette. Then the woman put a hand on her hip and smiled, amused.

"I don't think I'm the first person you visit, or am I wrong?"

Max smiled shyly. "You're not wrong, Joyce. I... I went to see Chloe first..."

"And it was quite a show" Chloe interrupted again, laughing. "One that included the theft of my skullcap and a lot of encounters and clues."

"Yes, it was crazy" Max added between small laughs.

Joyce soon joined in the laughter, which slowly ceased. The woman did not take long to notice something, making her smile disappear.

"Max, where are Vanessa and Ryan?"

That was the question that neither Max nor Chloe wanted to hear but they knew it would come.

The smiles of the girls disappeared, being replaced by melancholy expressions. Max could not blame Joyce for asking something so normal but at the same time it weighed on her; listening to that question was never easy for the brunette.

"They're dead, mom" Chloe said softly.

Max was surprised to hear the answer coming from Chloe, and Joyce could not hide her surprise either.

"Oh, Max..." Joyce said, her tone of voice sad. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't worry, Joyce" Max smiled sadly. "The wound is not recent. It was... five years ago."

Joyce's eyes widened. She did not take long to gather two and two.

"That was... when you disappeared. Oh, my god, this is bad."

Joyce began to murmur and ran her hands over her face. The girls thought that the woman was worried about something.

"Uh, mom. What's wrong?" Chloe asked, also worried.

Joyce stopped murmuring and stopped to see her daughter, then looked at Max. The woman ended up lowering her hands and sighing.

"Max, I'm sure you know your parents were very close to..." Joyce had to stop for a moment before continuing. "To William and me. We were as close as you and Chloe."

Max and Chloe shared a look; both girls were confused by Joyce's attitude.

"Um, yes, I know" Max said uncertainly before looking at the woman. "But, what do you want to get to?"

Joyce then smiled smugly.

"I'm sure you already told Chloe. Knowing them..."

"Tell me what? Mom, you're really acting weird."

The woman looked between the brunette and the bluenette, finally stopping at Max.

"That you and your family are werewolves."

That was a surprise, and the expressions of Max and Chloe were enough to prove it.

The brunette took a step back, nervous and somewhat fearful.

"D-Did you know?" Max could not help stuttering. "S-Since when?"

Chloe looked at Max worriedly, so the bluenette walked up behind the brunette and put her hands on Max's hips in an attempt to calm her down, as if Chloe said 'I'm here'.

Joyce's smile had disappeared since the woman saw Max's reaction.

"I knew it shortly after you and Chloe meet and they started spending almost all of their time together."

Chloe felt Max calm down little by little, but the bluenette decided to speak for the brunette.

"Since long? How? Why?"

Joyce sighed. "Her parents were worried; leaving a werewolf puppy near a small child is not always a good idea. That's why, when they had the opportunity, they told us."

"That... sounds logical" Max said, looking at the floor. "So you always always knew it."

"Yes, I guess so."

Joyce noticed how Max was turning around and hugging Chloe, who welcomed her as if they had always done that. The woman could not help but smile slightly.

"But I'm glad you and Chloe are back together, Max" Joyce said softly.

Max looked slightly over her shoulder. Joyce could swear that she saw a smile forming on the brunette's face.

"I'm glad too" Max muttered.

Joyce did not pass unnoticed the smile that crossed Chloe's face when Max finished saying those words, making the woman smile too.

Suddenly, the sound of raindrops crashing against the glass caught everyone's attention. It started as a simple drizzle that soon became a torrential one. Max thanked inwardly that at least no thunder was sounding. Joyce then remembered the time it was; almost 10 pm.

"I think Arcadia Bay doesn't want you to separate from me, Maximus" Chloe teased, making the looks go to her. "Unless you want to get out in the middle of that rain, I advise you to spend the night here. I'm sure Joyce will not have a problem with that. Isn't that right, mom?" Chloe said that last as she looked at her mother.

Joyce just smiled in response, and Chloe wasted no time in copying her mother's smile and taking Max's hand to drag her along the stairs to her room. The only light there was that of Chloe's computer.

"Wow, Chloe, relax!" Max exclaimed laughing as she and Chloe entered the room. "You seem pretty excited about all this."

"Guilty" said Chloe, still smiling. "But I can't help it, Max, I have not seen you in years and I want to make up for lost time with my... Uh..."

The bluenette seemed to doubt something. Max noticed it and raised an eyebrow at Chloe as she closed the door.

"What's wrong, Chloe?"

"It's that, um, I don't know how to explain it without it sounding weird" Chloe walked to the center of the room, she seemed a little nervous, and Max had to put up with the urge to laugh at such a show. "You're my best friend, that has not changed, but now that we've kissed and you sometimes have that attitude all daring, to be honest I love it, I don't know how, uh, tag us?"

Max could not help but chuckle, making her win a look of indigity from Chloe.

"I'm not making fun of you, Chlo, I just like the way you act when you get nervous" Max's smile widened. "So adorable."

Chloe crossed her arms and continued to look indignant at Max, but the corners of her lips began to go up, betraying her. Max then slowly approached Chloe and stopped a few inches away from the bluenette. The brunette suddenly wrapped her arms around Chloe's neck, who automatically uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on Max's hips.

"Adorable, huh?" Chloe whispered, abandoning her expression of indignation and smiling.

"Yes, you're adorable when you get nervous" Max whispered in response. "And about the tags, I really don't care. Friends, girlfriends, lovers, anyone is fine, just having you back is enough for me."

Chloe did not have time to respond since Max's lips were already crashing against hers. Max was kissing her, and Chloe was pleased to return the favor. After several seconds, both girls separated and put their foreheads together, each with her own smile.

"Fuck the shy nerdy girl, I love this new daring version of Max Caulfield."

Max could not help but laugh at that random comment from Chloe.

"You're a dork."

"And you a hippie."

Both girls laughed softly, and Chloe left a small kiss on the tip of Max's nose before slowly parting with the brunette and heading to the computer desk. The bluenette then started rummaging through the drawers of the desk until she pulled out a sheet of paper and something else that Max could not see well. Chloe closed the drawers with a movement of her hips, turned her body to the brunette and put her hands behind her back, hiding what was in them.

"What do you have there?" Max asked with a raised eyebrow, curious.

Chloe smiled. "If my memory doesn't fail me, your birthday was almost a month ago."

That surprised the brunette. Max had not paid much attention to her birthday since her life as a werewolf started, and although Astrid had given her some gifts on her previous birthdays, the brunette really did not care much about her birthday, she was not even so aware of when the next one would arrive. And the fact that Chloe was still remembering her birthday made Max's heart warm.

"And I have a gift for you. Well, rather I have two" continued Chloe. "I still remember when I found that gift in my room, and I would like to return the favor... Somehow."

"Chloe, you don't have to-"

"I don't do it out of obligation, Max, I do it because I want to" Chloe interrupted.

Max sighed in defeat and showed a small smile; she knew she could not win this, Chloe was too stubborn.

"Well... What do you have for me, Price?"

Chloe then put her right hand, closed in a fist, in front of Max. The bluenette held up three fingers, leaving only her forefinger and thumb together, causing something to fall from her hand: a black necklace. Three bullets swayed slightly at one end of the necklace, something that caught the eye at first sight.

Max inspected the necklace that hung in front of her, and sooner than later Chloe moved the necklace closer to the brunette, who took it delicately in her hands, watching and fiddling with the three bullets.

"Wow, Chloe. Where did you get this from?"

Chloe showed a sad smile. "That necklace belonged to my father."

Max quickly looked up at Chloe, looking at her with concern.

"Chloe..." Max said quietly.

"No" Chloe raised her right hand to signal Max to stop. "I found it one day when I was reviewing the things of dad, looking for something to wear... I never had the courage to use it, at that time the wound was still fresh, but I kept it anyway, in case some day I would have the courage to wear it."

The brunette could only watch the bluenette in silence, she didn't want to interrupt a moment like this.

"That day never came, so I want you to have it... I don't think of another person who is worthy of carrying something that belonged to my father, except you..."

Max looked between Chloe and the bullet necklace, finally stopping at the collar. The brunette delicately took the black leather strap of the necklace and slowly put it on, arranging her long hair so that it was outside the collar.

"Thank you, Chloe" Max said softly.

Chloe's smile stopped being sad. "Something else is missing, Maximus."

Chloe pulled her left hand from her back and held it out in front of Max. The bluenette held a sheet of paper with a drawing that occupied almost the entire space of the paper. The brunette could not help but be surprised by two things.

The first thing that surprised her was the drawing itself; a general shot of the Arcadia Bay lighthouse hill on a starry night and the moon on high, shining brightly. A big brown wolf was sitting in front of the cliff, looking at the sky, as if he were howling. Part of the town could be seen in the distance, and the sea next to the beach reflected the stars and the great natural satellite. The almost realistic style of the drawing and the fact that it was completely in color (with shadows and details included) only made it more beautiful than it already was.

Max could not help comparing that drawing with the photo she had used to meet Chloe only a few days ago; they were almost identical. Maybe that's where Chloe got the inspiration from?

"Well?... Do you like it?" Chloe's voice brought Max back to reality.

The brunette shook her head slightly and looked at Chloe with a big smile, and then, she rushed to the bluenette and hugged her tightly.

"Of course I like it! It's beautiful!" Max exclaimed, causing a smile to form on Chloe's face. "Besides..." The brunette lowered her voice a little and looked up to look into the bluenette's eyes, "you came back to draw, Chloe. That... is the best gift I could have."

Chloe's smile widened and she wrapped her arms around Max, careful not to wrinkle the draw. The brunette hid her face in the bluenette's neck and the latter buried her face in Max's hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Chloe advised them to go to sleep.

Chloe left the drawing on the desk and then went to her bed, dropping into it. Max, on the other hand, stood looking at the bluenette's computer.

"What's wrong, Mad Max?" Chloe asked from the bed.

The brunette looked at the bluenette and then looked back at the computer.

"Chlo, can I use your computer?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow, confused, but smiled anyway. "Sure, Max, you don't need to ask for permission."

Max smiled at Chloe and then walked to the desk, sitting on the chair and turning on the computer. The brunette was immersed in the computer for a few minutes before turning to the bluenette, who was staring at the ceiling.

"Hey, Chloe, is there a way to connect the computer to your music player?"

Chloe lifted her head slightly so she could look at Max.

"I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"Huh. For nothing special."

Max went back to the computer and soon began to play a [melody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTCrFD4qDSo) on the speakers of it. Chloe then sat up, sitting on the bed and watching the brunette with confusion and curiosity.

_I fall down..._

_Broken around me..._

_There’s nothing to break my fall..._

A male voice began to sing as Max stood up and walked to the foot of the bed, sitting on it and facing the door.

_What wasn’t my battle..._

_...has become my war..._

_And I’m sick of what I’ve found..._

_‘Cause there’s no hope left around..._

Chloe approached Max and sat next to her, watching the brunette out of the corner of her eye.

_And this is what its come to..._

_I pray to god you find..._

_...whatever it is that calls you..._

The bluenette saw how Max's eyes began to get teary little by little, so Chloe put an arm around the brunette's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her.

_And after all the time we spent..._

_...pursuing lies and hopeless misery..._

_As for me I’m finally..._

"...Coming Home..." Max finished, singing in unison with the other voice.

_Coming Home..._

Chloe was surprised to hear the brunette singing (although it was only two words), but the bluenette still did not understand why Max had put that song nor why she had become so sentimental all of a sudden.

_I can’t find..._

_...peace of mind..._

_Was it worth it all?..._

Max suddenly let her head rest on Chloe's shoulder, and the bluenette squeezed the brunette reassuringly.

_It’s all uphill now..._

_It never gets easy..._

_And I’m sick of losing ground..._

_...when there no hope left around..._

Chloe then surrounded Max with her other arm, hugging the brunette, who returned the hug almost immediately.

_And this is what its come to..._

_I pray to god you find..._

_...whatever it is that calls you..._

_And after all the time we spent..._

_...pursuing lies and hopeless misery..._

_As for me I’m finally..._

_...coming Home..._

The music suddenly became a little more animated, adding some more instruments, possibly electric guitars. Chloe took advantage of that moment to take Max with her to the other side of the bed, making both girls recline their heads on the pillows. The bluenette hugged the brunette and the latter hid her face in Chloe's chest, putting her hands there too.

_And there’s no hope left around..._

_And this is what its come to..._

_I pray to god you find..._

_...whatever it is that calls you..._

The song had become calmer, almost without background instruments, only the voice of that man singing.

_And after all the time we spent..._

_...pursuing lies and hopeless misery..._

_As for me I’m finally..._

Max and Chloe began to fall asleep. The last verse of the song sounded in her ears before both girls fell asleep.

_Coming Home..._

* * *

** October 23, 2013 **

The sound of tapping on the bedroom window brought Max and Chloe out of their sleep. Max was really comfortable being in Chloe's arms, and the bluenette did not want to move because she was also comfortable.

But the sound of tapping continued.

The brunette moaned loudly and raised her head slightly to see with half-closed eyes at the window on the computer desk. Max was finished waking up when she saw a smiling Astrid outside the window, and the woman tapped the window a little more, apparently to annoy the girls.

Max then reluctantly climbed out of bed, listening to Chloe moan in frustration at the loss of heat. The brunette walked to the desk and stopped a few steps away from him, seeing Astrid, who was still smiling.

"What are you doing here, Astrid?" Max whispered, being sure the woman would still hear her with the window closed. The ear of a werewolf could do wonders.

"You didn't get to the cabin last night, so I went to check the tree house but you were not there, so I thought you'd probably be here" Astrid's smile widened and she raised her eyebrows as she continued talking. "Knowing you."

Max could not help but blush a little, making Astrid laugh. Chloe moaned audibly and sat up with difficulty, sitting down and rubbing her eyes to wake up.

"Max? Who the fuck is in the window?" Chloe murmured, visibly upset.

"Hi, Chloe!" Astrid shouted through the window, apparently very animated.

Chloe then removed her hands from her eyes and looked towards where the voice came from, meeting Astrid's eyes. The punk greeted the woman with her hand, then turned to Max.

"Your friend is crazy, Max."

That simple sentence made Max laugh slightly, and Astrid ended up joining her. The woman then pressed her face and hands against the window glass.

"Now, can any of you, girls, open this window and let me in? It's very cold out here, and walking in topless with only a jacket on doesn't help much."

Max then came up with an idea. The brunette smiled and walked quickly to the window, opening it abruptly, causing Astrid to fall forward until she reached the floor. It was a miracle that the woman did not trip over the computer or anything else on the desk, and soon Max and Chloe's laughter enveloped the room.

"Oh, Max, I can't believe you did that" Chloe said with a laugh.

"Me neither" replied Max while laughing.

Astrid mumbled something and sat on the floor, rubbing the right side of her forehead. Her amused expression had disappeared, replaced by one of confusion and disbelief. The woman then looked at the laughing girls.

"It's not funny" Astrid shrieked, looking almost like a small child. "I hit my forehead... Ouch."

Max soothed her laughter as she wiped a few tears from her eyes, then approach Astrid and kneel next to her and put a hand on her forehead, just where the woman was rubbing a few seconds ago.

"I'm sorry, Astrid, I saw the opportunity and I couldn't help it. Does it hurt?" Max asked with a smile.

Astrid could not help but smile at Max. "Yes, but just a little. Maybe a bruise will be made, nothing more."

"Well, better avoid that . "

The woman soon felt the slight pain on her forehead disappear; Max had healed her. Chloe's laughter soon stopped ringing, and the bluenette watched the wolves curiously.

"That's it," Max said, pushing her hand away from Astrid's forehead. "Are you better now?"

"Better" replied the woman.

"Uh, what are you doing? Sharing looks or what?" Chloe's voice interrupted the moment.

Max and Astrid turned their eyes to Chloe, who was watching them with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I was just helping Astrid with her blow" Max said as she stood up and offered a hand to Astrid, who accepted with pleasure. "After such humiliation, it was the least I could do."

When Max helped Astrid to her feet, immediately afterwards the woman gave a small playful blow to the brunette's shoulder, earning a small laugh from Max and a smile from Chloe.

"But seriously, what were you doing with your forehead, Maximus?"

"As I said, I only helped her. Or, rather, I healed her."

Chloe raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Werewolves can heal other people's wounds" Astrid interjected, approaching Chloe.

"Shit, now you just need to say that the werewolves can fly" Chloe said, making Max and Astrid laugh.

"I wish we could, but we're not birds" said Max.

Even with the quiet atmosphere in the room, Chloe realized something. Due to her drowsy state, she had not noticed it until now.

"Wait. Where are Joyce and Step-douche? With all the noise we made, I'm surprised that none of them came to find out what the hell was going on here."

"There's nobody home except us" Astrid said casually as she sat on the bed next to Chloe. "Do you think I would have dared to come here if someone else could see me?"

Max sniffed the air, turning her head around as she did so. She wrinkled her nose before speaking.

"It's true, there's no one here except us" Max looked at Astrid, her nose still wrinkled. "But Astrid, dammit, you smell like a wet dog. Were you playing in the rain last night or what?"

Astrid laughed softly and smiled shyly, raising a hand.

"Guilty" the woman said between giggles.

Max rolled her eyes and put a hand on her nose in an attempt to cover the smell that came from Astrid.

"Putting that aside" began Astrid, now sounding a bit more serious, "it's better that you go hunting for something, Maxi, it's almost nine in the morning and I'm sure your stomach will not be slow to complain."

Max's stomach did not take a second to ring, making both Astrid and Chloe laugh softly and the brunette blushing slightly.

"I told you, Maxi" said Astrid with a smile. "You'd better go out and eat. You know well why I say it. "

Max sighed. "Ok, mom, I'm go-"

The brunette stopped abruptly when she realized what she had said. Max looked between Chloe and Astrid, who had different types of expressions of surprise on her face, the one of the bluenette being the most surprised.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm leaving now."

Max approached Chloe and gave her a small kiss on the forehead before practically running out the window into which Astrid had entered only a few minutes ago. When the woman was sure that the brunette was gone, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh, her head was low.

"Hey... What was that?" Chloe asked softly, looking worriedly at Astrid.

"She sees me most of the time as an older sister, but sometimes she also sees me as a mother. Maxi once told me... that I look a lot like her mother, Vanessa Caulfield."

"...The wound is still fresh, right? I think I can understand it."

Astrid opened her eyes and looked curiously at Chloe.

"My father... He died in a car accident shortly before Max's parents died."

The woman's eyes widened and she quickly regretted having asked without words what Chloe was referring to.

"Shit... Maxi never said anything... I'm sorry..." Astrid said almost in a whisper.

Chloe showed a small smile. "Don't worry. I have learned to live with that pain" The bluenette looked at the window and her smile disappeared. "But I see that Max has not been able to do it..."

Astrid followed Chloe's gaze and then turned her to the ground.

"What Maxi went through is not so easily erased, Chloe. She was barely thirteen years old, she was gagged by the woman who killed her mother in front of her eyes, and she did it in one of the worst possible ways... I'm not surprised that Maxi still decomposes every time something or someone reminds her of that day."

The silence was present quickly, because Chloe did not know what to answer to it and Astrid really did not want to keep talking about that topic.

"But I have to thank you, Chloe" Astrid's voice broke the silence minutes later.

Chloe looked confused at Astrid. "To thank? Why?"

The woman looked at the bluenette and smiled at her.

"For achieving what I couldn't do years ago."

Chloe's confusion grew larger after hearing that prayer from Astrid, and the woman must have noticed, because she decided to clarify what she had said.

"It took me a long time to make Maxi laugh again or even smile, but you... You've managed to do that from the first moment that you and she met again, and I should thank you. I think that the fact that you returned in her life has really done her good... More than you think."

And with that said, Astrid got out of bed and went out through the same window she had entered, leaving Chloe bewildered and looking out the window for longer than she would have liked.

* * *

The rest of the morning and the beginning of the afternoon passed quietly, let's dare to say, for everyone.

Chloe went through Two Whales after the meeting with Astrid and Max that morning, and the meeting with Joyce was inevitable. The bluenette and her mother had a good time discussing some things, remaining that they would have to talk about the Caulfields at some other time, and preferably in a more private place. Chloe at least got something good out of her visit to the family restaurant; a free breakfast. Being the daughter of one of the waitresses had its advantages.

Astrid spent the entire time with Max, and at some point she had joined the hunt for the brunette, something that eventually turned into a kind of friendly competition over who might be able to hunt more rabbits, with Max the winner with three rabbits more than Astrid had, something that made the brunette very happy. The woman had realized at that moment that the puppy she had met no more than 3 years ago had become a more confident girl and someone who accepted what she was, and that was saying a lot. Near the end of the afternoon, after spending so much time in the woods, Astrid and Max returned to their cabin; they decided to spend the rest of the day there.

Rachel did not do either good or bad, for it was another day in Blackwell, but secretly she was glad she did not have photography class that day; after her last class with Jefferson, Rachel was not too excited to continue seeing her classes. At least her occasional tea party with Kate distracted her from those thoughts for a while, but every time Rachel had some time alone with herself, she could not help but think of Max.

Max and her apparently constant hate for no reason towards her.

If you asked Rachel how she would describe Max, the blonde would probably answer 'She's a bitch, maybe even more than Victoria'. Rachel had not overlooked the fact that this brunette apparently had contempt, but the blonde did not understand where that came from; she and Max had never seen each other until not more than a day ago. Rachel did not go unnoticed by the fact that Max seemed to behave like that only with her, since with Chloe it was a charm; that had been clear to her on the two occasions when she saw the bluenette and the brunette together.

It was then that, being alone in her room at home after school, Rachel sent a message to her mother asking if she knew where she could find Max, because the blonde supposed that Chloe would not tell her, maybe even she did not know, so Sera was the best option at that time.

Rachel got an answer from her mother shortly after telling her that the brunette would probably be in a certain place in the forests of Arcadia Bay, more specifically, in a large cabin in the middle of the forest, giving her specific directions on how to get there. The blonde did not want to know how her mother knew that, but she also thanked Sera and, taking a coat from her closet, Rachel left her room for that cabin.

* * *

Astrid did not have many ways to distract herself, but she always liked to read, and it was fortunate that the woman had kept many books over the years to read them later. It was moments like that, being in front of the fireplace, with the fire keeping her warm and with a book in hand, those that distracted her from the world for a while.

She and Max had returned to the Price residence before going to the cabin at the request of the brunette, who wanted to look for something she had forgotten to take before; a drawing on Chloe's desk. When Astrid had asked about that drawing and her new necklace, Max had responded cheerfully (and proudly) that they were birthday gifts from Chloe. The woman could not help but be glad to hear something like that, Max did not used to be happy for her birthday, and it was good to see her that way at least for a while.

The reading and thoughts of Astrid were interrupted when she heard a couple of knocks on the door. The woman stood up and left the book she was reading on the chair, then headed for the door. When Astrid opened the door, she was surprised when she saw that it was Rachel.

"Rachel? What's going on?"

The blonde smiled shyly. The black-haired woman was beautiful, but her height and complexion (along with her way of dressing) made her look intimidating.

"I want to talk to Max. Is she here?"

The understanding hit Astrid quickly; of course, Rachel would come at some point to clear her doubts about Max. Then the woman sighed and left space for Rachel.

"Yes, she's upstairs, in her room, it's the only door on the right" Astrid explained as Rachel entered the cabin. "I would recommend that you not provoke her. The best thing for both of you is that the conversation doesn't end in disaster" Astrid pointed a finger at the small crater on one of the walls near the stairs as she closed the door. "You see what she can do, you don't want to mess with her."

Rachel looked at the small crater in the wall and then nodded at Astrid before climbing the stairs. The woman sighed; she had a bad feeling about all that.

When Rachel finished climbing the stairs, she faced the door of Max's room. The blonde sighed silently and tapped the door before opening it and entering the room. Max was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling and playing with what appeared to be bullets in a necklace. The brunette then raised her head from the pillows to look towards the door, and her relaxed expression quickly turned into an expression of disgust.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Max asked slowly as she sat on the bed, bitterness could be felt in her voice.

Rachel frowned. "What a warm welcome" She replied sarcastically.

Max huffed. "I didn't invite you to come here, clearly I will not give you any welcome."

Rachel closed the door behind her, and the distinctive _Cl_ _ick_  of the door lock clicked. The blonde put her hands in the pockets of her coat, and all without losing eye contact with Max, who showed a crooked smile when she heard that Rachel had put the lock.

"You know? Locking you in a room with a werewolf is not the smart thing to do."

"I'm not afraid, I doubt you're going to do something to me."

Max then got out of bed and walked to Rachel, stopping a few steps from the blonde and crossing her arms, defiantly.

"Oh, yeah? And what makes you think I can't do anything to you?"

Rachel swallowed hard, Astrid's words echoing in her mind: " _Don't provoke her._ "

_ I'm sorry, black-haired woman. _

"Because if you do something to me, Chloe will never forgive you. "

Max's smile disappeared and her eyes opened slightly due to the surprise, but she quickly recovered and frowned, her posture was still threatening, and the fact that the brunette was a few inches taller than the blonde helped her threat attempt.

"Anyway, what do you want?"

Rachel sighed. "I want to talk."

"About what?"

"About what happened between you and my mother, Sera Gearhardt."

Max tensed immediately and clenched her jaw.

"That's not your business" Max said in a low, menacing voice.

"Oh, it's my business" Rachel began to take courage. "My mother told me to ask you directly, neither she nor Chloe and not even your black-haired friend will tell me anything. I want to know why you are acting that way with me."

There was silence after that, and Max's expression softened a little before she spoke.

"You look so much like her..."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "To who?"

"Your mother..." Max's expression became hard again. "The same hair, the same body, shit, even almost the same smell. Every time I see you I can't help but think about her and..." Max looked down. "And what she did to me."

The blonde was worried now. Had Sera done something to Max? Rachel had thought it was the other way around, that Max had been the one who had done something to her mother. But now...

"What did my mother do to you?" Rachel asked, fear and worry in her voice and face.

Max growled and kept her eyes downcast. "She burst into my house when I was just a child, she waited in my room for me to arrive and the first thing she did was gag me. Then she tied my hands and feet and threw me to the ground as if it were nothing... My mother arrived shortly after and your mother then..."

The brunette sobbed, tears running down her cheeks like waterfalls. It had been years since that event had taken place, but Max still had the same reaction every time he remembered it; she cried.

Rachel was silent, hearing that her mother had done such a thing was too much for her, and the blonde was afraid to hear the last thing Max had to say.

"And then she..." Max muttered before looking up and seeing Rachel. The brunette's eyes betrayed a murderous rage that the blonde had never seen in anyone. "And then she killed my mother in front of my eyes! She made me see everything! She made me see how my mother slowly lost her life! She...! She..."

Max's voice became quieter, and the brunette looked down again, uncrossing her arms so that they fell at her sides. Rachel could only watch in silence, not knowing what to say or do. Hearing that Sera had done those atrocities had been a low blow for the blonde.

"She took everything from me..." Max's voice was shaky. "She took my childhood away from me, she took my mother away, she took my life... And you..." Max looked up at Rachel again, that murderous anger was still in her eyes, something that made the blonde shudder. "You look so much like her, every time I see you I can't avoid going back to that moment..."

The brunette sobbed and covered her face with both hands. Rachel had her own tears in her eyes, which soon began to fall down her cheeks.

"When you and your mother hugged each other in the junkyard, I couldn't help but hate you two at that moment... I'll never be able to have a moment like that again, my mother will never come back to me, I'll never be able to feel her heat anymore again... My family has gone and it's all her fault..."

Rachel choked back a sob and tried to put her right hand on Max's shoulder, but the brunette was faster, brushing the blonde's hand away abruptly. Rachel felt a burning sensation in the palm of her hand, so she checked it and was surprised to see that it had a slightly deep cut along the entire palm. Had Max done that just by touching her? The blonde now was scared, and she had to look up when she heard Max's voice full of poison again.

"Don't touch me, bitch, the last thing I need now is your compassion" Max stared at Rachel, her eyes steely. "Just... get out of here and never come back."

"Max... I'm-"

"Get out of here before I tear your head off!" Max yelled.

Rachel took that as her last warning and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her. She heard Max sob out loud, and the blonde thought that maybe coming was not a good idea.

When Rachel came down the stairs, she saw that Astrid was leaning against the door with a sad expression on her face; that woman had heard everything.

"Come here" said Astrid softly, extending a hand towards Rachel. "Let me see that wound."

Rachel looked at the cut in her hand and then looked at Astrid, slowly approaching the woman and offering her her injured hand. Astrid took Rachel's hand with her left hand, watching the palm and the wound there. The woman covered the wound with her right hand, and Rachel took courage to speak.

"How did you know I was hurt?" Her voice was weak, almost fearful.

"I could smell the blood" It was all Astrid answered.

"And how did you know it was mine? It could have been Max's..."

"Your blood and Maxi's have very different smells, and I could never confuse the smell of blood from someone in my pack with that of a human."

Astrid then released Rachel's hand and the blonde checked the wound, surprised when she saw that it was gone; the palm of her hand was as good as new, as if she had never been hurt. The blonde looked surprised at the woman, who only showed a small smile.

"You'd better leave" Astrid said softly, nodding toward the door. "It's already getting dark and it's not safe for a human to walk through the forests of Arcadia Bay so late. I..." Astrid's expression turned sad and she looked away, not wanting to see Rachel. "I'll take care of Maxi."

Rachel could not say anything, she just went out the door when Astrid stepped aside. The woman then climbed the stairs to Max's room and, when she entered, she found a Max in a fetal position at the foot of the bed, swaying slowly and muttering something unintelligible. Astrid could not help but feel a great sadness for what had happened, maybe that talk between Max and Rachel had not been a good idea, but sooner or later both girls would have to talk, only Astrid would have preferred it to be later, not on a day like that...

Astrid then crouched down next to Max and hugged her, whispering things to calm the brunette.

Why all this had to happen just that day?

* * *

Chloe was lying in her bed, the smoke from the cigarette she was smoking enveloped the ceiling, and the only sound that was heard was the music in low volume of the music player. The punk had not done much that day, so she decided to spend the rest of the night in her room, maybe Max would visit her, that would be a good (and welcome) distraction for Chloe.

The buzzing of Chloe's cell phone brought her out of her thoughts, so the bluenette took it, seeing that she had received a message from Rachel.

** Rachel: Hey, Chloe **

** Chloe: hey, rach, what's up? **

A few minutes passed before Chloe received an answer, something that seemed strange to her coming from the blonde.

** Rachel: I spoke with Max... **

_ Wow.  _ _Ok, that's a surprise_ , Chloe thought as she wrote an answer.

** Chloe: and what happened? **

** Chloe: everything okay? **

** Rachel: I don't know... **

** Rachel: Maybe I shouldn't have pushed her to tell me what was going on between her and my mother **

At this point, Chloe was already frowning.

** Chloe: rachel, what happened? **

Again several minutes without response until Chloe came a shower of messages.

**Rachel: I asked her what was wrong with me and with my mother, why she acted so rudely with us**

**Rachel: Then she, angry, started talking, but then she began to cry quietly**

**Rachel: She told me everything**

**Rachel: She told me what my mother had done to her, she told me why she acted so rudely to us**

**Rachel: Max practically broke in front of me, Chloe, and I didn't know what to do**

**Rachel: When I put my hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her, she pulled her away sharply (she even left me a wound, but I'll tell you later about that)**

**Rachel: And the last thing she did was yell at me to get out of there, I think she even did it for my own good**

**Rachel: I was sure that she would rip my head off if I didn't leave there at that moment**

Chloe had sat on her bed, staring at her cell phone, reading again and again that shower of messages. Chloe thought that if Max told Rachel what Sera had done, the blonde would probably take a lot to process that, and the bluenette was sure that Rachel was probably crying as she wrote.

Then Chloe began to write.

**Chloe: shit...**

**Chloe: that really is fucked**

**Chloe: but are you okay, rach?**

**Chloe: i need to know**

A minute later, Chloe received an answer.

**Rachel: I'm fine, I just need to process everything**

**Rachel: And yes, I'm crying a little now, you don't need to ask, Chloe, I know you ;)**

Chloe could not help but smile a little at Rachel's response. At least the blonde was fine, but soon they would have to talk about all of that.

**Chloe: no emoji**

**Chloe: then we'll talk more deeply about that meeting**

**Chloe: i want to know all the details**

**Rachel: I promise I'll tell you everything later**

**Rachel: Just give me some time, okay?**

**Chloe: yeah, don't worry**

**Rachel: Anyway, could you do me a little favor?**

**Chloe: it depends**

**Chloe: should I get out of bed?**

**Rachel: Even when the world comes to an end, you are still a lazybones**

**Rachel: Never change, Chlo <3**

**Chloe: aww, my heart**

**Chloe: i will let you pass that emoji just for this time**

**Rachel: :D**

**Chloe: don't push your luck, amber**

**Chloe: anyway, what was the favor?**

**Rachel: Oh, right**

**Rachel: Could you go see how Max is? I'm really worried about the way I left her**

**Rachel: And I'm pretty sure the last thing she wants now is to see my face**

**Chloe: that's a good reason for me to get out of bed**

**Chloe: but i don't know where she could be**

**Rachel: Probably she's still in that cabin in the woods**

**Rachel: That's where I talked to her**

**Chloe: how did you know about that cabin?**

**Rachel: My mother**

**Chloe: ah**

**Chloe: it's logical**

**Chloe: well, i'll go and see how that wolf is**

**Chloe: ttyl**

The punk had already gotten out of bed since the blonde had asked her to go see Max. Chloe wore a black shirt with a blue butterfly emblazoned on it, her torn jeans and those combat boots, in addition to her already badly needed leather jacket; it was essential to wear it in those times, with that cold. Her blue skullcap complemented her outfit, plus it helped keep her warm.

Chloe put her cell phone in one of the back pockets of her jeans and went downstairs, but Joyce's voice from the kitchen stopped her from her mission.

"Chloe? Where are you going?" Joyce called.

The bluenette went to the kitchen and leaned an arm on the frame that led to her.

"I'm going to see Max, mom. Something happened and I want to see if she is okay."

Joyce looked at Chloe worriedly. "Did something bad happen to Max?"

"No, no, nothing happened to her" Chloe said quickly. "It's just that she and someone else had a somewhat heated discuss, and I want to go see if Max is fine after that."

"Oh, I see" Joyce relaxed visibly, that woman worried about Max as if that girl was her second daughter. "Okay, be careful, Chloe. And tell her I can't wait to see her again."

Chloe smiled. "I'm sure she wants to see you again, mom. I don't think it is necessary to tell her, she sure already knows."

With that said, the punk left the kitchen and left her house directly towards her truck. When Chloe climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door, she felt her cell phone vibrate and quickly pulled it out to see who could.

**Rachel: Hey, Chloe, can I ask you something?**

**Chloe: shoot**

Chloe could not have been more surprised by the content of the message that came later.

**Rachel: You and Max... have something?**

The bluenette took a few seconds to give the most honest answer that came to her at that moment.

**Chloe: i wouldn't know how to tell you**

**Chloe: it's complicated**

**Chloe: like, very complicated**

**Chloe: why is that question so suddenly?**

Chloe did not have to wait long for Rachel's response.

**Rachel: For nothing, I just wanted to know**

**Rachel: I've seen you two close together to be just friends ;)**

**Chloe: goddammit, rachel**

**Chloe: AND NO EMOJI**

The punk then threw her cell phone into the passenger seat and lit the truck. Immediately after, she left the house to go to the forest.

* * *

The truck stopped on the dirt road near the cabin. Chloe turned off the engine and got out of the truck, closing the door behind her and then walking towards the cabin. Once she reached the door, she knocked three times and waited a few seconds until Astrid opened the door; the woman smiled when she saw Chloe, she seemed even relieved.

"Hey, Chloe."

"Hey, Astrid" greeted the bluenette with a smile. "Max is here? I would like to talk to her."

Astrid's smile disappeared and her expression became one of caution.

"She was here, but she left long ago."

Chloe looked at her confused. "She left? Where?"

"Maxi went to the lighthouse."

"To the lighthouse? Why would she go there?"

Astrid smiled sadly. "...Because today is October twenty-third."

_Twenty-three October? Why does that date sound familiar?_ , Chloe thought.

The comprehension hit Chloe like a bullet in the stomach. She soon understood why she felt that date had something 'special', but not in a good way.

An October 23, five years ago, Ryan and Vanessa Caulfield were killed.

* * *

The night had fallen in Arcadia Bay, and the view from the lighthouse was incredible to say the least. The waning moon in the sky attracted much attention, in addition to illuminating the forest and the city very effectively.

Maxine Caulfield was sitting on the edge of the cliff near the lighthouse, watching the moon. Her knees were attached to her chest, held with her arms. She heard footsteps coming from behind her, but did not bother to look over her shoulder, for she already knew who was approaching; she had smelled it before that person reached the top.

A pair of feet stopped behind Max, and soon that person sat with her legs spread out on either side of the brunette. A pair of arms encircled Max's waist, followed by a head that landed on the brunette's right shoulder. Max could not help smiling and uncrossing her arms to surround them with that person's neck.

"What are you doing here, Che?" Max asked tenderly.

Chloe smiled at that nickname. "Astrid told me that you had come here, and I couldn't leave a lady alone, especially if that lady is you."

Max laughed softly. "How gentlemanly of you. And now you call Astrid by her name? Who are you and what did you do with Chloe Elizabeth Price?" joked the brunette.

Now it was Chloe's turn to laugh, and Max soon joined her. When the laughter stopped, the bluenette hugged the brunette harder, and the latter threw her head back to catch the other girl's gaze. Chloe smiled sadly at Max, and the brunette returned the smile. Both girls put their foreheads together and closed their eyes.

"I know today is the anniversary of your parents' death, Max. They... They were really good people" Chloe's voice was almost a whisper.

"I know... I wish they were here, so they could see you, sure dad would have made a comment on your blue hair."

"And Mrs. Caulfield probably asked me about the punk outfit."

"That's more than likely" laughed Max.

A comfortable silence was formed between the two girls, lasting several minutes. Max ended up resting her head between Chloe's clavicle and neck, and the bluenette and the brunette were staring at the stars and the moon for what seemed like forever, but none of them would have bothered spending all their lives like that.

After a long time, Chloe spoke.

"Now I'm intrigued. Why did you put that song on yesterday night when we were in my room?"

"That song... reminds me of myself, my life after I became a werewolf... There are some specific verses that I can never ignore when I listen to that song:  _What wasn't my battle, has become my war..._" Max sang that last part, and Chloe would lie if she said that she did not love listening to the brunette singing.

"That... really hits you, Super Max" Chloe whispered. "But soon we will solve all this. We'll send Jeffershit and the Dickscotts to hell, you'll see."

Max smiled. "While you're with me..."

It was Chloe's turn to smile, but she planted a small kiss on Max's cheek before speaking.

"I'll be with you forever, Max Caulfield. It is a promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When we can change outfits for Chloe in Before the Storm in episode 3, I remember that the three bullet necklace appears for the first time (if you didn't wear a special outfit before). That made me think that probably that characteristic necklace belonged to William, since Chloe practically searches in the things of her father to dress in that episode. I don't know, it's a 'theory' that I wanted to highlight in this chapter.
> 
> Oh, and the song that appears in this chapter is the one that gives it its name: 'Home', by Koethe. That man really is a genius of music, and I recommend anyone who is a Life Is Strange fan to listen to his songs about the game, they are incredible.
> 
> And what Max said about the song is literally what I think of her and it's one of the reasons why I put that song in the story. I love that song <3
> 
> Anyway, feel free to comment on anything regarding the chapter or about history in general, I love reading what people have to say about it :)


	12. Amber

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost two months without updating...
> 
> No, it's not that I've forgotten this story, it's that my brain does not get tired of creating new stories for Life is Strange, and how I was busy with a One-shot that I published relatively recently and chapter 3 of 'Love me as I am', well, I missed the time. Oh, and that without taking into account the week full of school work I've had. Next week will be the same, so it is very unlikely (but not impossible) that I will update something.
> 
> And since I find it more difficult to write chapters for this story (due to the plot), do not be surprised if updates of one or two chapters of 'Love me as I am' arrive before I update 'Howling at the Moon'.
> 
> The title of the chapter comes from the song 'Amber', of Koethe.

**October**   **23, 2013**

A middle-aged man with glasses, his hair beginning to go from gray to white, dressed in a straight blue two-piece suit, was sitting at a desk, apparently writing in one of the many papers that were scattered on the desk. His face was pure seriousness, you could tell from the eyes that this man was not a person with a sense of humor. The wrinkles that his skin began to show only made his frown more prominent and even menacing.

The 'ring' of a telephone distracted the man from his task, and he let it ring for a few more seconds before answering the call and putting the phone on speaker.

"Who is? I'm busy right now" The man said in an exasperated and stern tone.

"What a way to treat your partner, Sean" A male voice answered sarcastically on the phone.

Sean Prescott snorted, his anger and exasperation beginning to increase every second.

"What do you want, Jefferson?"

"News."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"I thought we were working together."

"Exactly,  _we were_  working together, but that's over."

Jefferson could be heard clicking his tongue. "What happened to the great landlord Sean Prescott? He who hunted the monsters of Arcadia Bay."

"Don’t think I've stopped hunting, I'm still doing that but in a much less risky and more precise way" Sean threatened. "I'm still better than you, Jefferson, and I decided to help you just because two hunters think better than one, but your obsession with that girl has gone too far. It has blinded you."

"Oh, dear Mr. Prescott, I'm not blind" Jefferson replied in a pompous tone, "I just want to finish what I started."

"No, you just want to make amends for the mistake you made by letting that girl get away from you."

"You're going through a dangerous path, Sean" growled Jefferson.

Sean laughed. "On the contrary, Mark, you are the one who travels on a dangerous path. If you continue with your obsession, that will only lead to your destruction. And believe me, I will not take care of your corpse."

There was an exasperated sigh from Jefferson, apparently he was tired of continuing to fight.

"I just need to know Maxine Caulfield's whereabouts, Sean, plus any other information you have about her. When I finish with that monster, I'll leave you alone, you'll never know about me."

"You're an idiot, you just don’t see anything" sighed Sean, rubbing his eyes under his glasses with one hand. "Buy another pair of glasses, those that you have surely make you look worse than an old man with cataracts."

"Fuck it, Sean, just tell me what I want to know."

There was a silence that lasted a few seconds in which no man spoke, and Sean knew that Jefferson would not end the call unless he told him what he wanted to know. The middle-aged man just wanted to get rid of that self-centered human being who called himself a 'hunter'.

"My informants have seen in some parts of the forest a big brown wolf carrying someone on their back, a woman apparently. High, blue hair, it's not hard to identify" Sean explained with a sigh, fed up with his conversation with Jefferson. "There have not been as many sightings of that black wolf that usually accompanies your girl, so it probably is not watching her as much as before."

"Thank you, Sean. Was it that hard to do that?" said Jefferson, you could hear the smile in his voice.

"Listen to me well, you wretch" Sean interrupted, annoyed, "this will be the last time we talk, and since I'm proud to be what I am, I'll give you advice, a warning, from hunter to hunter."

Jefferson was silent, insinuating that Sean would continue.

"Do not underestimate that Maxine Caulfield, you've seen what she's been able to do to my men years ago when she was barely at a very young age for a werewolf. Choose very well your way to get her, because if I know anything about werewolves is that they are vengeful as hell and stop at nothing if you take something that they love... Like the parents of a child, for example" Sean made a pause before continuing to speak. A smile formed on his face. "I would not be surprised to see your corpse quartered in the forest, or maybe eaten until only the bones were left. But record these words: I will not help you anymore, this has been and will be the last call we have, I will not give you more information about your girl and I will not lend to my men so that you can achieve your goals. Our agreement is over."

What followed after such a speech was silence, a sepulchral silence. Sean leaned back in his chair, waiting for his old partner's response, a response that was not long in coming.

"You are not my only source of information, Prescott, and I am sufficiently self-sufficient to achieve my goal. When I have my hands on that bitch I'll go to your fucking mansion myself and take your head in response to your insolence. See you soon, Mr. Prescott."

The distinctive sound that the call was over was heard and Sean Prescott could only sigh in relief; he no longer had to deal with the dead weight that was Mark Jefferson. Sean knew it would be lucky that the man survived a meeting with that girl, Maxine Caulfield, after doing so much damage to her.

"I don’t want to get involved in the damned revenge of a man obsessed" growled Sean, turning in his swivel chair to see through the window behind the desk.

Arcadia Bay was not like the cities of the rest of the country, full of lights and cars everywhere, so to see the night sky full of stars was not unusual. Sean, for something he did not even understand, loved the starry nights, and that made him forget all the shit his life had become, all the shit he was involved in becoming a beast hunter.

It was bad luck for the man that a young, blond guy, no older than 18, was together the door of his office, where Sean had had that talk with Mark Jefferson.

Nathan Prescott had gone to his father's office to do something that he himself could no longer remember, for he left that thought in the back of his mind when that conversation he heard between the two men took place as his main thought and concern. The young man soon left that office and went to his room.

What the hell had he gotten into?

* * *

**October 24, 2013**

The wind was strong enough mind to move the branches of trees, the birds sang merrily and the morning sun was beginning to peek over the horizon slightly. Chloe could realize at that moment what the forests of Arcadia Bay had to offer; they really were beautiful if they were seen from a certain perspective. Of course, being in the back of an old and rusty truck with the girl you love makes everything change perspective.

After their little encounter at the lighthouse last night, Max had fallen asleep on Chloe, who decided to take the bridal-style brunette to the truck. The bluenette had then driven down one of the forest paths, stopping in the middle of the road and taking Max to the back of the truck, with Chloe staying with her for the rest of the night.

At that time, the punk had the head of the brunette in her lap while tenderly stroking Max's long hair. Chloe could not help but laugh internally at the thought that she and the brunette had practically changed roles, with the bluenette being the one who consents to Max and not the other way around.

"Mmm" A small drowsy murmur brought Chloe out of her thoughts; Max was apparently starting to wake up.

"Hey, hippie" said Chloe with a smile.

"...Hey, Chlo" Max muttered without bothering to open her eyes, also smiling.

The bluenette continued to stroke the brunette's hair, sometimes even playing with it, but at no time did she stop smiling. Max eventually opened her eyes, narrowing them a little at first until she got used to the light. Two pairs of blue eyes met and, at one point, Max could not help but chuckle a little, confusing Chloe.

"What are you laughing at, Maximus?"

"Oh, nothing, Chlo" Max said trying to sound innocent. "I was just wondering how I got to the back of a truck like this, because the last thing I remember is having been with you at the lighthouse. Was I kidnapped, Miss Price?"

"You should be grateful to be kidnapped by a hot and sexy girl, Miss Caulfield" Chloe joked.

Max could not help laughing at Chloe's comment, although deep down the brunette said that about her partner. Sexy and hot? For her Chloe was that and more.

_Ok, Max, deflect those thoughts for another time_ , the brunette mentally scolded, but still a smile adorned her face. Chloe noticed how a small blush formed on Max's cheeks, but she did not want to ask what had caused that. But there was something else that the bluenette did want to ask, even if that was not the best time to do it.

Chloe, as she almost always did, acted before thinking.

"Can you tell me what happened between Rachel and you yesterday?"

Max's expression darkened when he heard those words from Chloe, and the smile that had adorned her face only a few seconds ago had disappeared. The brunette then looked away.

"What did she tell you?" Max asked.

"Well, everything in general, but Rachel told me you hurt her" Chloe's voice was soft but stern at the same time.

Max immediately looked at Chloe with an expression of disbelief and bewilderment, though there was also a hint of concern in her eyes.

"I... I hurt her?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "At least that's what she told me. Before I went looking for you last night, I talked to her a little bit, and she said something about you moved away her hand sharply and you leaving her a wound."

Max watched Chloe for a few seconds as her thoughts swirled, trying to remember everything that happened the night before. It was not long before a theory crossed the mind of the brunette, causing the expression on her face to go through several emotions: surprise, relief, fear and relief again. In the end, Max put on a neutral face, but she seemed relaxed, something that confused Chloe.

"I think I know what wound Rachel was talking about."

"Enlighten me, Maximus" Chloe said with a small smile.

Max laughed softly, but the laughter did not last long when her expression became serious.

"She had tried to bring her hand to me, I think to try to comfort me or something like that, but let's say that at that time I was not so happy to see her, so I moved awat her hand sharply" Max looked away, trying to avoid eye contact with Chloe. "That was the only time I touched her physically, so I guess I accidentally hurt her with my claws."

"Claws?" Chloe asked incredulously, then took one of Max's hands and inspected it. "The only thing I see here are normal nails. Even if you have them a little long, and something well taken care of in my opinion, I doubt very much that you could hurt someone with them" The bluenette placed Max's hand gently on the brunette's abdomen. "The most you could do with those nails is to leave a scratch that could not even pierce the skin."

Max laughed softly and took courage to look at Chloe. The brunette raised a hand and ran her fingernails delicately down one of the cheeks of the bluenette, who was surprised to notice how that simple touch of Max's nails felt scratchy.

"They may look like simple nails, but you'd be surprised how much damage they can cause" Max said almost proudly.

The brunette moved her hand away from Chloe's face and ran her nails down one side of the truck, leaving claw marks on the metal.

"You see?"

"Holy shit" Chloe breathed as she saw the marks the brunette had just left on the truck.

"So my theory is that I accidentally scratched her hand with my nails, but judging by the way you mentioned her wound, apparently it was not just a scratch" Max hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe I left a wound a little deeper. Who knows."

Chloe then looked at Max inquisitively. The bluenette could not help but grimace before speaking.

"You say that so naturally, Max... I'd be lying if I said it does not scare me a little."

Max's face fell almost immediately upon hearing Chloe's words. The brunette avoided eye contact as she stood up, moving away from the bluenette's lap. Chloe watched with concern as Max sat next to her, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping them around her arms.

"I can understand how you feel..., in a way" said Max, hesitantly, before looking Chloe. "You're afraid that I can talk so easily about hurting someone or even talking about death, right?"

Chloe swallowed and remained silent for a few moments before answering.

"Y-Yeah, something like that."

Max looked away. "I thought so" sighed.

The expression of the bluenette softened and she put an arm around Max's shoulders to draw the brunette into a side hug. Max rested her head on Chloe's shoulder, who began to caress the brunette's arm in an attempt to comfort her.

"I'm sorry to said that" Chloe started to say. "It's just... it's weird and kind of chilling to hear you talk about those things so naturally, but I guess that's normal for werewolves..., isn’t it?"

Max was silent for what seemed like a few minutes before an answer came out of her mouth.

"More than what you believe."

* * *

**October 30, 2008**

The sound of footsteps on the lawn drove away a pair of squirrels, which climbed quickly through the trunk of a tree to avoid the big brown wolf that happened to walk nearby. That, of course, had not been overlooked for the wolf.

_I will not hurt any of you, guys, I just want to drink some water_ , Max thought bitterly as she approached the lake that she had discovered a few days ago.

When she reached the shore of the lake, she lowered her head so she could take a few sips of water. While Max was still drinking, her stomach growled loudly. Max moaned internally and stopped drinking water, moving her head away from the lake. Some drops fell from the wolf's slightly wet snout as she sat and watched her reflection in the water.

_I can’t go on like this_ , Max scolded.  _At this rate, I will die of starvation._

The girl of 13 years had not eaten anything solid for a week and her body began to complain about it. The water helped, yes, but it would not be enough to keep her alive forever. She, at some point, had read on the internet that an average human being can survive a month without food, but can’t survive a week without water. But what about a werewolf? Max now had more or less time to eat? She believed that she had less time, because her stomach began to complain only a few hours after she ran away from home.

About a day after her escape, Max had begun to have those impulses that told her that she should eat something, that she should hunt something..., that she should kill something. She could no longer go to the city and enter a restaurant and order some food as if nothing was happening. Hell, what Max would give to have a meal in Two Whales...

_What I am going to do?_ , Max lamented, she knew that at some point she would have to 'get carried away by her instincts', as she called it. But for now, with the sun about to hide, Max decided to lay her head on her front legs and take a little nap.

She would try to hunt an animal the next day.

That's what she always said to herself every time she went to sleep.

* * *

 

A noise in the bushes alerted Max, who immediately opened her eyes, her ears spinning to detect where that noise had come from. She began to sniff as if it were automatic, and soon stood up in her four legs, alert; her nose had caught an odor, something like a cat, Max thought, and could not be more wrong.

Not far from her position, near a small mound surrounded by bushes and some trees, a puma poked its head out, its fangs showing due to the low growl he let loose. Max's posture became threatening and, instinctively, she showed her fangs when she growled. She no longer had control of herself, her whole body acted automatically, as if she already knew what she had to do, how she should act.

The puma then took some leaps forward, cautiously approaching the wolf, keeping its body low. Max growled menacingly as she surrounded the puma, and both animals were approaching little by little.

To be so young, Max was a little bigger than the puma, but that did not seem to affect the animal, who was approaching without fear of the wolf. At a certain moment, when both animals were only a few meters away from each other, the puma jumped towards Max with its claws extended. The wolf reacted quickly and dodged the attack narrowly, but the claws of the puma managed to hurt Max near the shoulder, although, fortunately, it was superficial.

Max did not take long to act, and when the puma attacked again with the claws of the front legs, the wolf rushed towards the animal, biting its neck. The puma, desperate, began to scratch with its claws the wolf, who did not flinch to keep her jaw closed tightly around the neck of the puma. Max did not pay attention to the pain that emanated from the pile of wounds on her body, she just concentrated on keeping her fangs tightly clenched.

She could see how life was leaving the puma's eyes, how its movements gradually became slower and less energetic. She could feel warm blood seep into her mouth and fall down the puma's neck, staining her coat and sliding to the ground.

When the puma stopped moving, Max finally released the animal. The puma's inert body fell with a thud on the lawn, and the wolf felt a kind of morbid happiness when she realized that this had been her first hunt and had been successful. Best of all, the prey had been a puma, and that animal could provide all the food Max needed.

The wolf soon began to tear pieces of meat from the animal and then proceed to eat them. Deep down, Max felt bad about doing that, but she knew that if she did not do it, the next one to die would be her. She was a little afraid; thinking that someone her age could do something like what she had just done made her stomach roll, but she was also frightened by the fact that she felt... so natural.

Max blamed her inner animal for it. After all, humans usually blame others for their actions, so why could not Max do it? Although, did that rule still apply if she blamed a part of herself?

Max was too busy gutting the puma to think about philosophical things. She was very hungry, then there would be time to think about what she had done.

She would then have time to get used to her new life.

* * *

**October 24, 2013**

"Shit..." Chloe exhaled. "That... must have been fucked up."

"Partly, yes" Max replied, looking anywhere except at the bluenette. "But it's like you said before: It's normal for werewolves" The brunette paused a little. "Well, at least that's what Astrid says" she added as a late occurrence.

Chloe rolled her eyes playfully. "That woman knows a lot."

"She's an encyclopedia of werewolves" Max laughed.

Chloe laughed softly in response to Max's joke, but her laughter stopped when something occurred to her. The bluenette lowered her head a little to see the face of the brunette, who took courage to see Chloe.

"Speaking of werewolf encyclopedia, do you think you can answer a question about your species, Maximus?"

Max raised an eyebrow. "I think so, although don’t expect me to have the same wisdom as Astrid" she teased.

Chloe giggled. "I was just wondering where that one comes from, uh, healing power that you have."

"Oh" Max hummed thoughtfully as he bit her lower lip. "Well, to be honest, I had asked Astrid the same thing a while ago, and she told me that it is, in simple words, as if we transferred our regeneration skills to someone else."

"So that's what you did with her yesterday?"

Max just nodded.

"Well, I must admit, that's amazing" Chloe said with a smile.

"Yes, it is" The brunette shrugged, "but it has a limit."

Chloe moaned dramatically as she threw her head back. "Great things always have a limit."

Max laughed at her friend's childishness, and Chloe soon joined in her laughter. Little by little they calmed down until they were silent, with smiles adorning their faces.

The minutes passed and both girls were still in the same position, none of them wanting to separate. At one point, Max had turned her head a little to leave small kisses on Chloe's neck, something the bluenette was not against. Chloe, on the other hand, had approached the brunette a little more to give her a kiss on the forehead, earning a giggle from Max.

They were sharing kisses for a while before a vibration from Chloe's cell interrupted them. The bluenette looked at the brunette with an apologetic smile as she took her cell phone out of her pocket and checked her messages. Max was kind enough not to spy.

**Rachel: Hey,**   **Priceless, do you want to hang out?**

**Chloe: you do not have to ask twice,**   **rach**

**Chloe: but do not you have classes?**

**Rachel: Yes, but I'll skip them**

**Rachel: And you since when do you worry about my education?**   **xD**

**Chloe:**   **NO EMOJI**

**Rachel: :'(**

**Chloe:**   **amber**

**Rachel: :P**

**Chloe: *rolls the eyes***

**Chloe: but seriously, are you okay?**

**Chloe: you never skip classes**

Rachel took a few minutes to answer, which made Chloe worry, but her worry dissipated when her cell phone vibrated.

**Rachel:**   **Yeah, I'm fine, I just need to distract myself a bit after last night's talk, you know?**

**Rachel: I really need someone trustworthy by my side**

**Rachel: And who better than my punk friend with blue hair?**   **:)**

**Chloe: i know, i am the best**

**Rachel:**   **xP**

**Chloe: i'm going to put a restriction on the use of emojis**

**Chloe: seriously**

**Chloe: so tell me if you want me to pick you up or if you want us to meet somewhere before i repent**

**Rachel: See you at the**   **junkyard :D**   **< 3**

Chloe let out a silent laugh because of Rachel's last message.

The bluenette and the blonde had talked on the phone the night before after Chloe took Max to her truck. Rachel was still processing her encounter with Max; the knowledge of the actions Sera had done in the past still remained an open wound for Rachel, and the only person she could talk to about that was Chloe. It turned out that the bluenette was a good listener, and at the same time she was good at giving advice.

Suddenly, a somewhat risky idea crossed Chloe's mind. She knew that there was a 50% chance that the idea would go well, but there was also a 50% chance that it would be the opposite. Even so, Chloe was going to take a chance. Who doesn’t risk doesn’t win, right?

"Hey, Max."

"Hmm?" Hummed the brunette without bothering to move her head away from the bluenette's shoulder.

"Do you want to hang out in the junkyard?" Chloe asked with a small smile.

Max then pulled her head away from Chloe's shoulder and turned to the bluenette, looking at her with an indecipherable expression.

"Joyce will not worry about you coming home late?"

Chloe shrugged. "I can send her a text message or call her and tell her I'm hanging out with a friend."

Max raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but a smile began to grow on her face. So, without warning, the brunette got out of the truck and looked over her shoulder at a confused Chloe.

"Okay, I'd like to hang out with you in the junkyard" Max said, turning completely to Chloe and putting her hands behind her back, "but on one condition."

"I hear you."

Max's smile grew bigger. "Let's have a race."

Chloe's eyebrows rose so high that they threatened to hide under her skullcap, but that expression of surprise was soon replaced by one of emotion and determination, and a smile soon adorned Chloe's face.

"A race?" Chloe asked as she got off the truck and stood in front of Max. "I'm in. I will beat you, Maxaroni."

Max giggled. "We'll see that, sweetheart. Oh, and could you do me a small favor?"

"Sure" Chloe said as she shrugged.

The brunette could not help but smile, and Chloe could see a small flash of mischief appear in Max's eyes. The bluenette knew that the brunette was daring, but she never expected Max to start taking off the sleeveless shirt in front of her, and the brunette seemed to do it without embarrassment. Chloe, on the other hand, blushed and looked away, trying not to see how Max finished undressing.

A giggle from Max made Chloe turn to her. Internally, the punk was grateful that the brunette had her back to her, but that did not stop Chloe's blush from increasing.

A sudden wind made Max's long hair undulate to the side, exposing the brunette's back. The freckles that spread over Max's shoulders and back were something Chloe could not ignore; she always liked Max's freckles, but she did not know that the brunette had so many.

"Could you take my clothes to the junkyard, Chlo?" Max asked as she looked over her shoulder at Chloe with a mischievous and satisfied smile.

"Uh, o-of course" Chloe mentally punched herself for stammering and quickly began to grab the two clothes scattered on the floor.

Max chuckled again. "Thank you. I don’t want to ruin my clothes, it's very difficult to get it."

Chloe sat up when she finished grabbing Max's clothes and put them in the back of the truck. The blush of the punk had dropped a little, but it was still visible.

"You know what? I'll wait for you to turn on your truck and, when you start, I'll give you a fifteen-second lead, babe" Max's voice caught Chloe's attention, who turned to her. "That way you can’t complain that I cheated by starting to run before you. Oh, and don’t feel bad if you get in second place, werewolves are fast."

A smile formed on Chloe's face, determination beginning to beat the embarrassment of seeing her friend/lover naked.

"I'll make you swallow those words, Caulfield, because I'll be the one to win."

And with that said, Chloe climbed quickly into the driver's seat of her truck and started the vehicle. The truck burned tires before starting to walk on the dirt road, gradually increasing speed.

Max could not help but laugh, amused by what had just happened and how Chloe had become nervous and blushing when she saw the brunette undressing in front of her. Max could not help but look down at the necklace of bullets that Chloe had given her and the brunette smiled fondly as she counted fifteen seconds before switching to her other form and running into the woods of Arcadia Bay. She wanted to beat Chloe so she could see her bewildered face when she saw that Max had arrived in the first place. That moment surely was going to priceless.

With that motivation in mind, Max started running faster. She had never felt so happy to run through the woods.

* * *

 

Chloe drove almost frantically through the streets of Arcadia Bay, although the little common sense she had left told her not to be so mad; Joyce did not need another car accident to take away another loved one.

She soon spotted the junkyard and it did not take long to drive the truck through the dirt entrance. A part of Chloe was disillusioned by spotting a certain brown wolf sitting next to the sign that said 'American Rust', waiting for her. The bluenette really wanted to beat Max, but apparently you can’t compete against a werewolf who uses forests as a shortcut instead of the streets of a city.

The truck stopped almost at the entrance to the junkyard, although another familiar car was already parked there. Chloe got out of the truck and looked at the other car before turning her gaze to the junkyard, wondering if the idea she had had just a few minutes ago would be fine.

The sound of footsteps approaching Chloe drew the punk from her thoughts, and she saw Max approaching her with a kind of smile on her hairy face. Chloe did not overlook the fact that the bullet necklace seemed to be large and flexible enough to be able to encircle the wolf's neck, and just seeing that Max was still wearing the necklace in that form brought a smile to Chloe's face.

"Yeah, yeah, you won me" said Chloe, "but things will be different next time."

Max pushed playfully on Chloe's shoulder with her snout, earning a small laugh from the bluenette, but soon Max's relaxed expression changed when she saw the car behind Chloe. The bluenette followed her gaze, and Chloe's expression became guilty when she looked back at Max, who was looking at her with what Chloe thought was an expression of 'You planned something and you did not tell me, right?'

"I guess you already found out, right?" Chloe questioned.

The wolf nodded, averting her gaze to the junkyard.

"Look, I did not do this in an attempt to upset you" Began to explain the punk, and Max turned to Chloe, "I just want you and Rachel to have some sort of… closure after last night. I'm sure deep down you want to apologize for acting that way with her..., isn’t it, Max?"

Chloe had to admit that to be a wolf Max's expressions were almost human, and the bluenette could see how the brunette's gaze softened and her head lowered a little, her ears flat. Chloe wasted no time in approaching Max and caressing her behind the ears in an attempt to comfort her.

"Hey, don’t worry, Super Max, I'm not mad at you or anything" Chloe assured with a small smile. "Rachel told me everything that happened, and I know that the way you acted with her was not the best, but I'm sure that was probably due to one of your outbursts."

Max then took courage to look at Chloe, and the bluenette could see several emotions crossing those deep and hypnotizing blue eyes.

"And you want to know something? She even asked me the favor of going to see how you were after your meeting with you. If that's not enough proof to show that she was worried about you, I don’t know what it is" Chloe's smile became wider, but at the same time it was comforting. "And don’t think I did not notice that you were also worried about having hurt her when we talked a while ago."

The wolf then raised her head and looked at Chloe. The bluenette had moved her hand from Max's ears to her snout, absently stroking the wolf's scar. Max then moved a little closer to Chloe and rested her head on the bluenette's chest, who continued to stroke Max's muzzle.

"I can understand if you're still angry with Rachel, she also told me what was the reason why you treated her so badly, but I think it would be better for you two to at least try to get along. I don’t want my two best friends to fight all the time, you know?"

At bottom, Chloe knew that Max was now more than a friend, but she could not help but think of the brunette and the blonde as her best friends.

The punk was ripped from her thoughts by a sudden little lick on her face, something that made Chloe laugh. The bluenette wiped her face with the palm of her hands, a smile adorning her face all the time. Max had moved a step away from Chloe, wagging her tail slightly and with that almost human smile on her snout, waiting for the girl to finish cleaning her face.

"Alright, Maximus" Chloe said after wiping her face one last time. "C’mon" Chloe nodded toward the junkyard and started walking inland, closely followed by the big brown wolf.

Chloe did not have to walk long before she found the blonde sitting on the hood of a rusted car, with her cell phone in her hand. Rachel apparently had not noticed the presence of the couple, so she was surprised when she heard Chloe calling her.

"Hey, Rach!"

Rachel looked up and smiled at Chloe, but her expression of joy changed quickly as she saw that big brown wolf coming behind the bluenette. Max stood next to Chloe, her blue eyes staring at the hazel eyes of the blonde. It was at that moment that Rachel realized that Max did not observe her with her usual murderous rage, but that she would now be more cautious.

Rachel got off the hood of the car and looked over Max at Chloe, who gave her a small smile. The blonde then took a few hesitant steps towards the wolf, who also approached Rachel cautiously. Max and the blonde were only two steps away from each other, and Rachel could not ignore the fact that the wolf was almost a head taller than her.

"Max..." Rachel whispered.

The wolf stepped closer to Rachel, and Max's gaze softened little by little. The blonde lifted a hand slowly and, cautiously, supported her on the side of Max's snout. Rachel was surprised internally to feel that Max leaned a little on her touch.

Tears soon began to form at the corners of Rachel's eyes, and she could feel her lips begin to tremble.

"Max... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Rachel said as she shortened the distance between her and the wolf.

The blonde wrapped her arms around the wolf's neck, one of her temples resting near the back of Max's neck.

Rachel Amber was hugging Max Caulfield.

Max was no stranger to Rachel's tears and sobs and, for the first time in several days, she did not feel disgusted (for lack of a better word) for having the blonde close by. Max then circled Rachel's neck and upper back with her head in an attempt to return the blonde's hug.

Rachel cried for her mother, for finding out what she had done.

Rachel cried for Max's mother, to learn what Sera had done to her.

Rachel cried for Max, to find out what the brunette had to see and happen.

Rachel was crying over the shoulder of someone who once hated her, and Max did not know how to react to that. The brunette no longer felt that unjustified hatred towards the blonde, and she even felt bad for having acted horribly with Rachel since the first time she met her.

Max had many emotions bottled towards Sera: anger, sadness, hatred. When she met Rachel, Max could not help but download all her negative emotions about the blonde girl, and although the brunette had felt selfish about hating someone innocent, someone who had not done anything to her, her emotions had taken control and her outbursts against Rachel could not be avoided.

But now that same blonde girl was hugging her, and maybe Rachel understood on her own why Max had acted so rudely to her.

Maybe if both gave themselves a chance, maybe they would end up fixing things, and not only for their own good, but also for Chloe's.

Chloe had been smiling throughout the scene, happy that finally a meeting between Max and Rachel did not end in disaster. Her idea of bringing the brunette and the blonde together without their knowing it had ended well in the end.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching, and when Chloe looked over her shoulder to search for the source of the noise, she was surprised to see a large black wolf with green eyes heading towards them. The bluenette could not help but feel a chill go up her back; it was the same wolf of three years ago, Astrid.

The black wolf approached the group as if it were the most normal thing in the world, and the green eyes met Chloe's blue eyes.

"Hey, demon wolf" Chloe greeted with a grimace.

The punk could swear to have heard a kind of laughter coming from Astrid. The black wolf then took a few steps towards Max and Rachel, who, lost in their thoughts, looked at Astrid with varying degrees of surprise.

"Holy shit" Rachel exhaled, stepping away from the wolves and following behind Chloe in search of some kind of protection. "Should I worry?" The blonde whispered to the bluenette.

"Nah, I'm sure if that big black wolf wanted to eat you, you would not be talking to me anymore" Chloe joked, earning a nudge from Rachel.

Astrid and Max now stood facing each other, looking into each other's eyes, as if they were talking. Chloe noticed how Max's ears twitch, how Max's eyes widened slightly; apparently both wolves were having a conversation. It was a really strange sight to see.

" _...my help..._ "

Chloe was frightened, she thought she heard a voice whispering something, but she soon dismissed that thought thinking she had invented it.

" _...did they look for you?..._ "

There was that voice again. This time, Chloe looked around, trying to find the source of that strange voice. Rachel was saying something, but Chloe did not hear anything; she was more aware of other things.

" _...fine..._ "

Now Chloe had two theories about the voice she was listening to: either she had officially gone mad and schizophrenic or she was just making it up. Chloe wished with all her might that the first theory was not the correct answer.

Suddenly, and serving as a distraction to Chloe, Max and Astrid turned to the pair of girls and the brown wolf approached them before leaving a small lick on Chloe's cheek and a small playful punch on Rachel's head.

Both wolves began to walk towards the exit of the junkyard, and when Max passed next to the Chloe’s truck, the brown wolf stood on her hind legs and inspected for a moment the rear part of the vehicle. Chloe and Rachel watched Max put her head inside the back of the truck and, when she walked away, she had some clothes on her mouth. With that done, Max and Astrid ran out into the woods.

Chloe and Rachel stood still for at least a minute before the blonde broke the silence.

"Uh, well, that was great" She said as she wiped a few tears from her cheeks and stepped away from the bluenette. "Do you want to distract yourself a bit from everything that just happened? I brought some weed, courtesy of Justin."

Chloe could not help but smile at that. "Yes. I think I need to distract myself a bit"  _And more after hearing voices in my head_ , Chloe thought.

Rachel smiled at her friend and both girls went to the concrete structure they both called their lair.

* * *

Max was finishing putting on her sleeveless shirt as she approached the entrance to Astrid's cabin.

"Was it really urgent that I come here at this hour?" Max complained.

Astrid took the doorknob while looking at Max over her shoulder with a small smile.

"I told you I needed your help, Maxi, I can’t do this alone."

Max smiled and raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Technically you can, you just want to keep me close."

Astrid laughed. "I can’t hide anything from you anymore, huh?" She said before opening the door and entering the cabin, followed closely by Max.

The black haired woman closed the door and she did not need to guide Max so that she would realize what was in the living room.

Two people, a young girl and a man, were sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, and they looked over their shoulders at Max and Astrid when they both entered the cabin. The man, with short dark brown hair and an apparently muscled complexion, had large blood spots on the right side of his torso, soaking his white shirt, with small drops of blood falling on the man's jeans.

The girl, visibly younger, had hair the same color as the man, except that her hair came to her shoulders and she did not seem to have wounds as severe as the man's. Max also noticed that both strangers had blue eyes.

Astrid walked until she was in the middle of Max and the strangers, and the woman looked the brunette in the eyes.

"Maxi, meet Abbott and Abby" said Astrid, pointing to the two strangers.

Max could not help sniffing a little, looking for the smell of strangers. When she caught the smell, the brunette had to scrutinize the eyes of the man and the young girl. And it was then that Max knew who these people were, or rather, what they were.

Werewolves.


End file.
